Warriors: Legend of The Shape Shifter Book Three of The Raven Saga
by TheChargingRhino
Summary: Also has Eragon characters, Zelda stuff, LOTR stuff...and lots more. Enjoy.
1. Title

WARRIORS

The Legend of the Shape-shifter

Book Three of The Raven Saga

The Warrior Clans return in the final instalment of The Raven Saga!


	2. Settings and Places

Settings and Places

Hogwarts- The world renowned School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The Forest- An ages old mystical forest

The Lake- Also known as Fox Lake, second location of the Clans

The Unmapped Clearing- Where the legendary blade Dragon's Fire slumbers, waiting for someone to wield it

The Gangplank- An English Galleon, is docked at Fox Lake

The Great Hall- major eating place of Hogwarts, where Fudge is defeated

The Dark Tower-Ruins on the far side of Fox Lake, occupied by Conner Hanson, a former Dark Wizard.


	3. Chapter 1- Enter the Witch

Chapter 1

Enter the Witch

Once, there were four. Four of what, you say? Four Cats, great cats, ones who wanted change. These four cats met in a grove, and declared a state of peace among themselves. These were the founders of the Clans. What are the Clans, you ask? Cats. Lots and lots of cats. ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan. These are the four clans, with loners and a Clan not near the other four. This 'lost Clan' is named SkyClan. Where this tale takes place is in all five camps, and many more places. This, is Warriors, and this, is the Legend of the Shape-shifter.

The Unmapped Clearing

August 21, 2015

…I hope that your sword won't be used for a while, Rachel. I've decided to put it to rest, hopefully forever. Who is Rachel, you ask? Someone who played a vital role in the Great War, a battle that tested the world of magic itself. The evil man behind it all was named Abelson Riddle, a Dark Lord, who wanted to control everything and everyone.

I managed to travel back in time to the year 1423, the year of the Great War. After finding a sword in the Forbidden Forest, Rachel found me, and in the following months, we trained together. After doing so, Abelson appeared, and I fought him to the death.

But, Abelson had a secret weapon, a Dark Wizard that could transform himself into a massive beast, named Ganon. There was a Ritual to bring him back, but I interrupted it, causing Ganon to be brought back as a dim-witted, raving beast.

Wielding the blade that I found, I battled the gigantic boar, and emerged victorious. Afterwards, I returned back to my own time, to battle Abelson's future ancestor, Tom Riddle, otherwise known as Lord Voldemort. I won, and all of us celebrated far into the night.

He wasn't dead though, Tom came back early the next morning, and wreaked havoc. After learning that he was still alive, I took up Rachel's sword once more, only to be sent to a land called Chima, along with some of my friends. Tom shot a spell at us, which sent us there, as well as transformed us into inhabitants, animals, of Chima.

After learning of our whereabouts, my friends and I decided to find a way to return back to Earth. After staying in Chima for some time, we figured out how to return, and we did.

Once there, we did not transform back into our human selves until after Tom had been defeated (by me) once more. After I stabbed him with the sword I had carried with me throughout everything, he disappeared once more.

Now, it's been five hours since I did that. I'm back in the clearing where I found Rachel's sword, before its pedestal.

Reading the engraving on the pedestal once last time, I unsheathe the sword and gaze at it.

Gold and silver intertwine around the hilt, a jewel rests at the base, golden wings encompassing it. Dragonhide covers the hilt itself, with the cross guard bearing more engravings. The blade itself is scared, but shines with a brightness unmatched.

Having looked at the sword for the last time, I slowly walk up the marble stairs towards the pedestal. Once there, I take the sword in my hands, point the blade downwards, and put the sword to rest.

There is a brief sound of metal clashing against stone, then it is done. The sword rests once more.

I then reach behind me and pull a shield from my back. It is a combination of two shields, the Shield of Hogwarts, and the Warrior Shield. I bend down and place the shield in front of the pedestal, then take the necklace that has been hanging from my neck for a while, and slide it onto the cross guard of the sword. A certain ring hands from the copper chain, and it seems to gleam as it slowly twirls in the dying sunlight. It is done. I have given up the Ring, Shield, and Sword. I hope that someone else finds them when Hogwarts is in need. I then turn away from the pedestal, and walk away.

I only return to retrieve the Ring.

Hogwarts Meadow

August 21st, 2015

It's around five in the evening. I don't know how long I was in the Forest for, but I imagine that it has been at least an hour.

Coming out of the Forest, I enter Hogwarts Meadow, an area of the grounds that was a battleground last night. Trees and bushes dot the landscape, along with various plants and flowers.

A stream runs through most of the prairie grass that surrounds the dirt path and the entire area. Hagrid is the gamekeeper of Hogwarts and he has been caring for the grounds and the Forbidden Forest ever since his Second Year, when Tom himself caught Hagrid with his pet spider deep beneath the school grounds. Long story. His cabin sits to the right of me. The bridge that spans over Falcon Valley is on my left. The famed Quidditch Coliseum is practically in front of me, its flags flying in the wind.

I decide to head up to the main building and find Dumbledore. (Yes. He is alive. Don't ask how or why but he is.) I assume that he is in his office, reading something or doing whatever headmasters do in their spare time. Labor Day is coming, and I wonder if the decorations are being put up.

Hogwarts, Main Hall

Later that Evening

I realize that everyone is either staring at me or not looking at me. "What? What did I even do?" Someone comes forwards and answer my question. "There are people here that resent you. Even after what you did. Which was very groundbreaking, surviving all of it," The heavily-British-accented kid stops speaking, then continues, "I think, that with that sword of yours back where you found it, that you should stay away for a while." "Why?" I notice that about six people are starting to surround me, and summon my magic. Then the torches go out.

I can only see by the light of my magic. Other than that, it is pitch black. I sense something behind me, and I spin, shooting my magic from my hands as I do so. Someone cries out and I hear something fall. Moving my hands so I can see who tried to attack me, I notice Thompson, lying before me. I say nothing, only look at him. Then he speaks. "You shouldn't have come back, not after what you did. You deserve this," Thompson then nods at someone behind me. I spin, only to hear footfalls behind me and then it feels as if something heavy falls onto my head.


	4. Chapter 2- Enter the Clans

Chapter 2

Enter the Clans

…Thompson. That little…what'd he even do to me? ...I feel different…why do I feel like this? …

Birds. Lots of them. I'm outside? Why? Who moved me? …Where am I, anyway? Trees. Towering far above me. It appears to be early morning, what day, I have no idea. I decide it must be the 22nd, judging by how long that I have lain here, wherever 'here' is. I'm lying on wet grass, crushed beneath me.

I manage to get to my feet, only to notice how far I am from the ground. Not very much. Wondering why this is, I head off in one direction, due north.

After a while, I come across a river. Not having drunk anything recently, I move towards the body of-fast-flowing water, only to stop when I reach the edge. As I stand there, on the bank of the river, a feeling of confusement slowly dawns into a new-found-horror.

What happened to me…what did Thompson do to me? I'm…a cat! Bright-blue slits peer back at me from the water, and when I move my hand towards the water itself, the cat in front of me does the same. Only thing is, it's not a hand that moves, it's a paw.

I back up, away from the river's edge, trembling. I've been cursed before, but not like this. I don't know where I am, or why I'm like this. …Why? What did I do to deserve this? My heart racing, I spin around, and begin to run. I don't know where I'm going, but I hope I can do something about this soon.

August 22nd

A patch of forest, somewhere in Ireland

…I've got to rest somewhere…I can't go on like this… I don't know long I have ran for, but I do know that I've pushed myself beyond what I'm used to doing. It began to rain a while back, and I've been dealing with it for as long as I can. Seeing no other options, I move towards a lone pine tree, and lay underneath it. …Now I know what cats hate rain…and thunder…and lightning….. My claws are out and I'm hugging the rain-soaked ground with the strength I have left. Trembling, I close my eyes and hang my head, waiting out the storm.

Later that day

…Is it over? I'm still underneath the tree. Opening my eyes, I take stock of my surroundings. Trees have fallen during the storm, and I imagine the river I was at is overflowing its banks. Deeming it to be safe, I slink out from beneath the tree and blink at the sunlight pouring through the leaves of the other trees. I have other things on my mind, though. Like food.

Wondering what to do about this, I shake myself, only to hear something jingle against my neck. It's the Ring. The thing I had gone back for in the clearing. The only thing I had gone back for. I could have dealt with them if I had my sword. Wait…Thompson was working for Fudge at one point…maybe he's after me again…what if…I come to a horrific thought…what if Fudge ordered Thompson to do this to me? I stand there, a human's mind in a cat's body, imagining the unthinkable. Things like this are outlawed everywhere in Magic-areas, but people still practice stuff like this for Dark Rituals and the like.

I wonder where I am…what was that? Hearing something behind me, I spin, only to see bushes rustling. "Hello?" I say, or at least I try to. I hear something meow, but my mind interprets it as 'hello'. Great. Just great. Something answers me. "Who are you, and what are you doing in ThunderClan Territory? I demand an answer!" It sounds like another cat. "Before I answer your questions, may I at least see who is asking them first?" Whoever it is seems to be arguing with someone else on the other side off the bushes. Then the cats sighs, and steps out of the bushes.

A bright-orange, green-eyed cat is looking at me. "There," he meows, "are you satisfied?" All I can do is nod. "My name is Lauren, and what do you mean by 'ThunderClan territory?' Where am I?" He stares at me, then yowls for the other cat to join him. A female slinks out of the same bush and pads up to me.

"Well? Are you going to say something or not?" I blink at her, which causes the male to roll his eyes in frustration. "It's no use, Dawnsky! Can't you see she has no idea about any of this?" Dawnsky nods her white head, and pads closer to me. "Yes," she purrs, "but, Shadowdusk, maybe this is the cat that has come to Firestar in his dreams from StarClan? Maybe she should go with us back to camp." Shadowdusk narrows his eyes to slits, but says nothing else. Instead, he simply turns, and with a flick of his tail, leads me to this camp, whatever it is.

ThunderClan camp

August 22nd, 5:30p.m.

Shadowdusk thrusts his way through the thorn barrier like it's no big deal. So does Dawnsky. I hang back, wondering how much those thorns are going to hurt. Dawnsky then pokes her head through the thorns. "What are you doing? Are you going to come in or not?" I dip my head towards the thorns. "They won't hurt will they?" Dawnsky's yellow eyes widen, then soften. "No. They won't. Come on, I'll help you."

Dawnsky coaxes me through the thorns and when I emerge on the other side, all I see are cats. Tons of cats. There must at least be fifty of them. They range from kittens all the way to senior cats. So this must be ThunderClan. But what of those strange names Dawnsky and Shadowdusk have? Is it a custom? I ask Dawnsky about this and she meows with laughter. "Those are Clan names. Maybe you will receive one soon." She looks at me with question. "Or do you prefer your kittypet name instead?" "Kittypet?" What the Hell is that? I must be staring at her, because Dawnsky explains to me that 'a kittypet is a cat who lives with the Twolegs, humans.' "…No…look…what happened to me…this is going to take some time to explain. You see, I'm not really a cat." I notice cats coming towards me as I begin to speak, and I believe a fire-colored-furred gigantic male is the one they call Firestar. A few seconds later, I am proven right.

"You say you were not born a cat?" The cat speaks with an air of authority. I know who this is instantly. "Firestar…yes. Why do you ask?" Firestar tilts his head to look at me. "What is your name, if you are not really one of us?" I stand and shake, the Ring jingling as I do so. "Lauren." At this, his eyes grow huge, and he pads over to me. Firestar then looks down, and I ask him what he is doing. His head comes back up, and his eyes are glistening.

"You…you bear the Sign…that marking…I saw it in a dream that was sent to me from StarClan. Where all of the cats who have died have gone. They can appear anywhere. In battle, when you are alone, when you are ill, practically everywhere you can think of." Firestar tells me to come to his den, and I follow him.

We talk long into the night, and I tell him what I have done and what my last memories of being human are. Firestar does not ask me anything, only of how I obtained the Ring and the marking on my right paw. Yes, even after having laid Dragon's Fire to rest, I still bear the Mark of the Raven, after all this time. At last he tells me that I can leave, and, fighting off sleep, I stumble out of his den, only to collapse in the dirt outside.

…Young Animagus, you have discovered what has happened to you, but your fate is intertwined with the lives of everycat that has lived, that is living, and will live in all the area surrounding this camp. There are five clans, ThunderClan, which you are in as of right this very minute, RiverClan, which is across that river that you gazed into and discovered what you had become, WindClan, which is located on the moor facing west from here, ShadowClan, which resides north of here, on the other side of the forest, and SkyClan, which reside a week's' journey from here in the mountains. Who am I? One that resides in StarClan. My name is Bluestar, former leader of ThunderClan. Wake, wake and protect my clan from danger. It is close, Wake!

My eyes shoot open. It's twilight, and the full moon is shining blood-red in the sky. I remember Bluster's words and I struggle to my paws, wondering by what danger. Then I smell them. Dogs, wild, dangerous dogs. I then hear something scream and a wail of pure horror and pain. Oblivious of my life, I charge full speed in the direction of the scream.

A female cat is cowering in a den, guarding things that are wailing and crying from within. My God, are those kittens? Then that must be a queen. Good thing I woke up when I did. Still running, I leap onto the back of what appears to be the leader of the dogs. I start shredding the dog's fur and skin, cutting down to the bone where I can. Still clinging to the dog's back, I start screeching like I'm being boiled alive.

Of course, everycat wakes up then. When they see what I'm doing, they race to my aid. Soon, all of the cats are fighting off the beasts. I'm still on the back of the lead dog, when it flings me off, and starts attacking me. It then picks me up and calls to its pack. They flee, all I can do is wail at the disappearing cats as they get farther and farther away.


	5. Chapter 3- Destiny Calls

Chapter 3

Destiny Calls

The lead dogs flings me onto the ground and I hear something crack. Pain fills me and I want to scream. But I don't. Then, the dog speaks to me. "You survived. How? When I hit you, I saw you go down." He narrows his eyes and growls at me, making sure that I see all of his teeth. "…Thompson?" I squeak. I'm not going to lie. I am scared out of my mind right now. "Yes," he grins, "It is I. What, you didn't think I was also a skin-shifter, was I? Well, I am, along with my friends. And now," Thompson says, advancing on me, "I'm going to make your life Hell." He then crouches down, and leaps.

I awaken lying in a pool of blood. Along with the contents of my stomach, bowels, and bladder. Not a good situation. After trying to stand, I give up and begin to crawl in the general direction of the ThunderClan camp.

Barely moving, I reach the thorns and drag myself through them, hearing myself emit a high-pitched noise as I do so. I hear alarmed calls of cats, and I barely notice them. Standing, I look around me, then see Firestar padding towards me with an alarmed look on his face. "H-H-H-help…" Swaying now, I feel myself pitch forwards. And my world goes dark.

…Wake. Wake, and receive your fate. Wake.

….what…..I….I'm alive….how…..wait….someone spoke to me….who was it… I'm lying on grass, but I feel fine. Completely fine. Getting to my paws, I stretch, wondering why I feel like this. Then I see them. Cats. And they are all coming towards me. I only recognize one, and I pad towards her.

"…Morgan….what…" The female cat brushes up against me, purring. "You needn't fear, dear sister, for you are still alive. But only just. You are in StarClan, the equivalent of Heaven for cats. I have called you here because you need to hear of why you were cursed." I open my mouth to question this, but Morgan shakes her head, then signals me to follow her.

Sometime later, Morgan stops in front of a tree, then turns to face me. "That dog who attacked you was Thompson. I don't know how he found you, but I think you did what he wanted you to. You have been asleep for two days, it is now the 20th. I do not want this to happen again, so I and other cats have reached a decision. We have decided to give you nine lives. Only leaders have this privilege, but former leaders have agreed to let you live more than once. Come, greet your life-givers." Morgan then gets up again and pads away from the tree. All this walking around and I feel as if I can run a hundred miles and still feel fine-what's going on? I run after my sister, wondering why I can run like this.

I see nine cats formed in a circle. They all seem to be staring at me, then I realize who these cats are. Tigerstar, Lionstar, Leopardstar, Lynxstar, Pantherstar, Bluestar, Spottedleaf, Yellowfang, and Tailstar. Tigerstar pads up to me. "You have done well," he growls, "What you have done is an act of courage. You were willing to die for cats you had not even met yet. That, is why we have decided to grant you what Clan Leaders receive when they travel to the Sacred Moonstone. Come here, young Animagus, and receive your nine lives." Tigerstar is huge compared to me, about my height as a human. Summoning every ounce of courage that I have within me, I pad towards Tigerstar. When I reach him, he bends down and touches noses with me. "StarClan," he huffs softly, "Grant this skin-changer her first life, and may she go and do great things." He steps back and Lionstar comes forwards.

"I have seen cats come and go, but what you did two for-nights ago has made you among the greatest of all cats. I grant you your second life." Leopardstar takes his place. She gazes down at me and I feel grateful towards her. "I grant you your third life. Good luck, young one." She steps backwards and Lynxstar appears in her place. "Young Animagus," He meows softly, "Do you recognize me?" My jaw drops. "Yes, I am the Lion King himself. I do not know why I am here, in this world, but I have decided to help you once more. I hope that you may be able to visit Chima again in the future. For this moment, I will grant you your fourth life." "Do I call you Lagravis or Lynxstar?" He smiles down at me. "It does not matter. I can be named both, if you like." He bends down and touches noses with me, then turns and pads back to the others.

Then Pantherstar comes forth. He says nothing, only mummers, "May StarClan look down upon you with pride. I shall now grant you your fifth life", and touches noses with me. Then he turns, and Bluestar comes up to me. "At last I have met you in person. I welcome you to StarClan. I grant you your sixth life." Bluestar touches noses with me, steps back, looks at me, then turns.

Spottedleaf and Yellowfang come together. "We were both ThunderClan Medicine Cats. In death, we continue to look over our Clan, just as we are looking over you now. Only your spirit is here with us. We grant you your seventh and eighth lives." Both of them touch noses with me, then they both turn, and Tailstar takes their place. He looks at me with pride. "You are a living legend among your kind, are you not? I am proud to grant you your final life. Accept it with care, young Animagus." He steps forwards, and touches his head to mine, keeping it there for several seconds. He then turns, and join the other cats.

Morgan then comes up to me. "It is time for you to return to the world of the living. Say your goodbyes, for we must make haste." She gazes at me with those red eyes of hers, then she moves away. I'm left in the clearing, surrounded by my life-givers. Left speechless, all I can do is nod. The cats do the same, then stand and start to disperse. Morgan calls me to her from behind me. Gazing after the faraway cats for a few seconds, I then turn, and bound towards Morgan's cry.

"This is where you will return. Step through this bush, and we will be in the camp." I'm before a glowing hedge, looking at it. "Is it safe?" Morgan nods. "It is," she meows, "It will not hurt you." Taking a deep breath, I plunge into the heather.

….. "Is she dead?" "No. She is still alive, Firestar, but only just." "I think she is coming to herself!" "Oh, thank StarClan." Cats. I'm lying on something soft. I recognize Firestar but that's it. "Relax. You are in the Medicine Cat den. You are safe. For your actions, when you have recovered, I have decided to make you a warrior." Firestar looks at someone out of my range of vision. "Yes, Cinderpelt, she is awake." He looks back down at me. "Cinderpelt is the current Medicine cat. You will recover quickly in her care." He then disappears from my vision, and I hear the sound of moving vines. A silver-coated cat then appears above me. "How are you feeling?" She meows softly. "…I…There's something I have to tell you…" I manage to stand and sit. I can see my care-giver clearly now. Silver coat, blue eyes, white claws. She has a deformed leg, but it looks like it healed very badly. She sits in front of me. "What do you want to tell me?" "…I have nine lives. StarClan gave them to me." Cinderpelt's eyes grow huge, but I don't stop speaking. "I have a dead sister, Morgan. She…took me to StarClan, and nine other cats gave me lives, whatever those mean. Tigerstar, Lionstar, Leopardstar, Pantherstar, Lynxstar, Bluestar, Spottedleaf, Yellowfang, and Tailstar. I think that they are healing me even as I sit here…yes, they are. I feel great!" I gaze at her. "Can I leave?" Cinderpelt, dumbfounded, can only nod.

"Let all Cats who are able gather below the Highrocks!" Firestar's yowl summons nearly everycat in the camp. I'm standing below the Highrocks, gazing up at Firestar. The Highrocks are where Cats of ThunderClan gather whenever any meeting are held, no matter the reason. Once everycat is situated, Firestar looks down at me. "Lauren, your actions three night ago have caused cats around all four camps to wonder if I would make you a warrior. You did not even know the cats you saved, but you risked your life for them. Any cat would do so, but the reason why you, of all cats, did so, remains unseen. Do you, Lauren, accept the name I am going to give you?" "I do." Firestar nods, then yowls these words. "Then I hereby name you Runningbrook. May StarClan look down upon you with pride." Before Firestar can say anything else, a cat yowls. "Wait! Is there not another cat named Runningbrook? Let her choose her own name, Firestar." It's Cinderpelt. And she doesn't look happy.

"What?" Yowls and calls of question ring out around me, and after a while, I can't take it. "Can all of you please be quiet?" Cinderpelt pads up to me, and sits. I sit as well, and look down at the ground. Firestar's voice rings out above the cats around me. "Silence! This is no way to treat a cat who has saved the lives of everycat gathered here beneath the Highstones as I speak! Now, what do you want to call yourself?" I turn to face the leader of ThunderClan. "My new name that shall be used in Battles and everywhere shall be…Ravenclaw." Just then the bushes rustle by the entrance.

A few seconds later, lots of cats stream through the opening, surrounding all of us. "What is the meaning of all of this?" Firestar yowls in pain and then he's lying beside me on his side, a giant cat standing over us. "Do not push me, Firestar. As for you." The tom lifts his head to gaze at me. "I suggest you leave. While you still can." Anger rushes through me and I stand to face the white, scarred tom who is telling me to leave. "I don't think so. Who are you, and why are you here?" I unsheathe my claws and narrow my eyes to slits. "I suggest that you leave, before I kill you." Something then hits me and I go flying.

I land on my side in the middle of the camp, and notice that something is pressed up against me, trembling. It's a kit, and it seems to be terrified. It turns to me and buries its face into my fur, not saying anything. "What is your name?" My voice is gentle, and the kit removes its face from my fur to gaze up at me. "…Dovekit. Ravenclaw-my littermates, they…" I hear something crack in the sky above me and it begins to rain. I'm soaked within seconds, and Dovekit is a mop of white fur. I stand and look down at Dovekit. "Come on. I need to find your littermates and get out of here." At this, Dovekit's blue eyes grow wide. "We can't leave! It's against Clan Code!" I lift my gaze to Firestar, who is still lying on his side. His green eyes flash in the darkened night, and his mouth moves. "Go. Get Windflower's kits and flee. Go to WindClan and ask for their help. The Clan will be fine." Seeing this, I nod, and picking Dovekit up by the scruff of her neck, I head off to find her littermates.

Seems like I can never stay out of battles for long. This is getting more annoying every day. But I have to heed Firestar's request. Besides, I can't leave Dovekit's siblings in the camp, not with these evil cats here. Dovekit leads me to the nursery, and heads inside. I follow her, only to find a queen lying in a bed of heather. She seems surprised to see me. "You must be Ravenclaw…my name is Windflower…Dovekit led you to me?" She lowers her head and licks Dovekit. Windflower then gazes at me. "You must protect my kits. I can't leave here. But you can. Please, take my kits to WindClan. It's the least you can do… Tallstar is their leader. He will help you…hopefully." Windflower sits up and nudges Dovekit towards me, then her other two kits. "Heatherkit, and Sunkit, go with Ravenclaw. She will take good care of you. I will try to come to you as soon as I can. Go." I sense that I have to leave as soon as possible, and I step out of the nursery.

A few minutes later, the three kits stumble out of the den, then crowd around me. "What do we do now?" cries Dovekit, "Our mother has told us to go with you, but I'm scared." The other two kits nod and push against me, trembling. I lay down in front of them and begin purring. "I will protect you. This I swear by StarClan itself." This seems to calm them down, and a few minutes later, all of us are outside the camp. Heatherkit turns to me, and stares up at me, her small yellow eyes shining in the near darkness. I can see extremely well in the dark. Must be my night-vision. Cool. "Um…Ravenclaw?" "Yes?" "…I need to make dirt…can you…" "Yes. I need a break anyway. Meet me back here in… five minutes." Heatherkit back away and disappears behind a nearby bush. Dovekit and Sunkit follow after her. I lift my head to gaze across the river, only to see shining eyes. I then hear something howl and cats are upon me.

"What are you doing in RiverClan Territory?! Explain yourself!" It's at least five warriors, maybe more. "Moonclaw, stand back." A powerful tom thrusts through the warriors to come up to me. I don't know how I'm still standing. The tom narrows his eyes, then adverts them to the kits. "We're done, Ravenclaw! You can take us to WindClan, now!" "…WindClan…So," He says, sitting down. "You're Ravenclaw. I heard something has happened to ThunderClan?" I nod. "Then I will go to them. Go to WindClan. ShadowClan is going there as I speak. If you meet anyone, just tell them your name. What you have done has spread like wildfire. Good luck, and may StarClan go with you." The tom swims across the river, along with the warriors. He then starts towards ThunderClan but I stop him. "Wait," I ask, "Who are you?" "I am Amberstar. Leader of RiverClan." He then turns, and with a rallying yowl to his warriors, Amberstar runs off.

Nearby the WindClan camp

August 30th, 2015

"Ravenclaw!" Sunkit's yowl of pain makes me spin around. A cat has gotten him. "No!" Screeching with fury, I throw myself onto the cat. Only to get throw off myself. Something looms above me. "If you are indeed Ravenclaw, then you have made a grave mistake coming here. Tallstar has allowed us to kill you. But I think it is unjust. However," the tom says, raising his right fore-paw, "We can hold you hostage." Ignoring the kits' cries, he glares at me, then allows me to stand. The kits run over to me and cower beneath me. I hear something, and whatever the sound is, it's getting louder. "If you think I'm letting you take these kits from me, you're mistaken. Their mother entrusted me to get them here, and now you want to kill me? Let me speak to him myself." I then hear Dovekit screech my name, "Ravenclaw!" I turn, see a flash of silver, hear multiple screams and terrible noises, am overcome by this feeling of uncontrollable fury, and I go crazy.

I attack everycat I can see. Until something brings me down. From far away, I hear the kits crying for me, but I can't do anything. Tallstar pads up to me, looking down at me with hatred and disrespect. "How dare you bring those kits into my camp? You shall pay dearly, Ravenclaw. Until then, enjoy sharing dreams with StarClan." Tallstar nods to somecat standing above me. I hear Dovekit cry out my name, a cat appears above me, raises a black paw, blocking out anything but that paw, then nothing.

…Where am I…. "Ravenclaw!" …Is that….Sunkit? "Ravenclaw! Wake up!" Heatherkit? "Dovekit went back to ThunderClan with a warning for Firestar! Please! Wake up! StarClan can't keep you forever!" StarClan… oh god. "Is she awake? Yes? Then leave her be. I saw what happened to her….being hit like that…she fell like a RiverClan warrior catching a fish. My name is Fernleaf, WindClan's Medicine Cat. Leave her be, Sunkit-she will be fine. As for you-you are being held in an abandoned den. Wake, for I must speak with you." 'Do as she says, dear sister, for I am also by your side. Wake, these kits need you.' Morgan? What… 'Do as I say. You have been through worse. Wake." I feel absolutely horrible. But I can't dwell on that. I somehow manage to sit up, only to hang my head. I'm too weak to really do anything…what now? Sunkit appears before me. "You are awake! When that warrior backpawed you, you dropped like a stone. Tallstar made us come in here, and then Moonclaw himself threw you in here. Are you alright?" I shake my head and stand. "I've got one hell of a headache, but other than that, I'm fine." A small squeak attracts my attention. "Ravenclaw, what is hell?" "…It's…. a place where bad cats go. Do you have such a place?" Heatherkit's eyes grow huge. "It's the Dark Forest." Then Fernleaf comes over to me. "You have sharing dreams with Starclan for two moonrises. You have not moved. Do you need anything at all?"

I then realize that I severely need to do something but I have no idea how I should address it. …I don't want to ask for help. But I have to. I raise my head and look at Fernleaf. "Can you help me outside?" Fernleaf's eyes soften and she pads up to me. "Of course. Just let me know if you need anything." Heatherkit and Sunkit follow us out of the den and it's all I can do not to fall over.

The WindClan Camp

September 22th, 2015

It's actually been a month since I left the ThunderClan camp. Or should I say one moon. I've been kept in that den for that amount of time and they now just let me leave it. I'm stuck here. And I'm bored out of my mind. I'm by the line of trees marking the boundaries for WindClan and ThunderClan. I'm supposed to be on Border Patrol, but I slipped away from the other cats. I really hope no one comes over here…otherwise I may not be able to do anything. I hear something behind me and I spin, only to see Dovekit in front of me. "Dovekit!" I hiss, "What…" "I came to rescue you and my brothers! Are they nearby?" I nod. Dovekit looks around for them. "I'll get them. Hide. I'll be back." Without waiting for Dovekit's response, I spin back towards the camp, and sprint towards it. Tonight. I, no we leave tonight.

The WindClan Camp

September 22th, 2015

7:00 P.M.

"Heatherkit. Sunkit. Follow me. And don't try to make any noise." I'm by the exit of the WindClan Camp, and Heatherkit and Sunkit are beneath me, staring with wide eyes. I look down at them, remembering Windflower making me promise that I would see her kits safe. And I have. Until now. Hopefully this will last. Taking a deep breath, I pick up one of the kits in my mouth. The other kit then scrambles onto my back and I run for the woods.

…Almost there…oh no I hear cats. I stop, ears perked. I then make my way towards where Dovekit found me. Once there, I tell Sunkit and Heather kit to hide. They do this, and I turn to face the Warriors who are streaming towards me, yowling.

"How dare you try to escape us, Ravenclaw, StarClan shall not receive you when we are done here tonight." Tallstar is standing in front of me, fur raised and cats all around us. "Oh really?" I hiss, my tail twitching back and forth as I speak. "I came to you for help. And what did you do? You took me prisoner. You think I'm at fault here? How about it is you who is at fault. You want those kits? You'll have to kill me first." Silence. Then Tallstar bends down, and leaps at me.

Tallstar and I roll down the hill, the opposite way of the woods, his Warriors following us. I can't move! His Clan is helping him! I hear myself screech when a cat claws me down my side. That only makes me madder.

With a yowl of anger I launch myself at the Deputy, Grassstream. He catches me in the side as I land and red-hot pain fills me. I feel myself slide off of Grassstream and I fall to land in the moor grass. This hurts…a lot….ow….Blinking to fight off tears of pain, I glance up at Tallstar, who is standing directly over me, blocking out the sun. "Do you know now what happens to lone Warriors who fight a whole clan? I would kill you, but I think I can do something else. I have a whole group of Toms who would like to take a mate. They can each take you." Tallstar then raises his head and calls out some names. Then he steps back and a grey headed Tom is standing over me. "You have not mothered kits. But you should. After all, one of the best things you can do for any clan is have kits. We have heard what you did for ThunderClan. My fellow Toms and I will gladly accept possibly being father to your kits. Am I frightening you? On other circumstances, I would only do this to a clanmate, but I will make an exception." The Tom then disappears from my vision and a few seconds later, my life goes from bad to worse.

"Ravenclaw! Wake up!" "…Being taken like that…It makes me feel like crowfood." "What do we do, Firestar?" "The Queens will help her, carry her back to camp, but be gentle. I must speak with Tallstar. Go."

…Where am I…what happened to me? "Stop moving Ravenclaw. You will only make this worse. There. I've given you poppy and various other plants. The only good news is that we managed to fend off the Toms before they could take you. But you were taken. I know who you are, and I believe that what the tom did will not affect you in any other form. If you are wondering who is speaking to you, you are in my den. Firestar has gathered most of the Clan and has gone to speak with Tallstar. This has not happened in the history of the Clans in seasons upon seasons. Wake. I have done as much as I can while you share dreams with StarClan." "…Cinderheart?" The familiar cat's face looms over mine. "Don't speak. You have not done anything for two nights. Except yowl in your sleep and ruin your moss. I think that you have control over yourself now. Just to be safe, I'll take you to the make-dirt-place." I close my eyes and listen to the sound of myself breathing. I force myself to calm down, then I open my eyes, stand, and slowly make my way out of the Medicine Cat's den.

I emerge from the den, blinking from the sudden change of light. Cinderheart comes out and stand besides me. Her gaze flickers back and forth from me to an area surrounded by trees and bushes and sort-of-out of the way. "If you can, go there. If not… try to. If you make dirt where where you stand, no cat will punish you. Firestar has made that clear." Cinderheart nudges me so I face the bush-lined area, then leaves me.

At least I'm outside. I'm usually a modest per…cat. I'll have to get over being embarrassed when people…I've got to stop thinking like this- cats come upon me when I'm doing something. I hate it. Alright, let's see if I can make it over to that tree. I pad forwards, feeling the dirt beneath my paws scatter behind me.

I pad inside the make-dirt place. Some cats are there, doing their business and as I pad past them to a patch of bushes they stare at me. I stare back, of course, and continue on my way.

After being behind the bushes for several minutes, I step out of them to find Firestar himself standing before me. "How are you feeling now?" He meows. "Better, thank you." I suddenly feel worried. "Will I have…kits because of what that Tom did to me?" The tom's eyes soften. "You may. If you do, they will be among the best warriors ThunderClan has seen in many moons. Do not worry about such things, Ravenclaw. When the time comes, if you do have kits, Cinderheart will help you. She has made many warriors Queens. Come," Firestar meows at me, "There is a Clan gathering tonight. I wish for you to join us." I agree to come to the Gathering and Firestar seems happy. He and I leave the make-dirt place and we make our way over to an area called Sunningrocks.

November 23th

The Lake (ThunderClan Territory)

So. Lots of things have happened in over a month. Let me tell you of some of them. Six cats left secretly to solve a prophecy that StarClan had given them. Brambleclaw, Squirrelpaw, Feathertail, Sandstorm, Tawnypelt, and Crowpaw. After losing Feathertail to a panther, the five came back to the Clans with grave news: everycat had to leave or die.

Of course, I was confused as the rest of the cats, but I went ahead and helped the leaders move their Clans far away from the bulldozers and excavators and other cat-killing vehicles. The cats call vehicles 'monsters' and humans are two-legs. They have lots of other names for things. I'm sticking to my own language.

Anyway, after arriving in the new location, the borders were set, the usual crazy stuff happened, by crazy stuff I mean fights. Lots of fights. Did I mention badgers? No? There were angry badgers that were intent on killing every single cat. Guess who warned most of the Clans? I did.

Now, after having watched Brambleclaw kill his half-brother, Hawkfrost, I don't think anything else can faze me. I am wrong.

I emerge from a clump of grass only to find that I am looking at a floating thing in the water. It's huge, whatever it is. Then I see a sign. The longer I stare at the sign on the side of the floating thing, more memories come back to me: "That ship out there, on Fox Lake, is the Gangplank. An old English Galleon, nearly four-hundred years old, give or take a few." I turn to face Professor Flitwick, who has brought my class out here to do a bit of history. "Who owns that ship?" Flitwick turns from me and takes off his glasses, staring out at the floating ship. "Kris." He says nothing for a while. A few more minutes and the first-lunch bell rings out. I pack up my things and leave my teacher standing there, still gazing out over the water, and not really looking at anything. A meow from next to me jolts me from my returning past. "What are you doing? Other cats from different Clans say that you have been staring out at that two-leg thing for hours." I turn my head to face Graystripe, a cat who was taken by humans a while back. He recently returned and was reinstated as ThunderClan deputy. "That 'two-leg' thing is a ship." I turn back to face the floating object. "Her name is the Gangplank. When I was a two-leg, I was on that ship a number of times…I wonder if I'll ever be on it again." I force myself to turn away from the ship and pad away, Graystripe following me.

The ThunderClan Camp (Quarry)

10-25-15

On our way back from the lake, Graystripe and I are confronted by a tom from WindClan. I know who it is. "How dare you show your face near mine?" I hiss at him. "After what you did to me!" The tom bows his head. "I never told you my name, did I?" He looks so small and forlorn that I calm myself and motion Graystripe to sit down beside me. He does, shooting the un-named tom a look that clearly says if you touch even one hair on her pelt I will claw your face off. Or something of that notion.

The tom sits himself. "My name is Quaildew. I am the one who took you. I do not regret what I did, for I know that sometime in the near future, I will become a father to kits." Quaildew lifts his white head and stares at me. "Your kits. I've heard from the other Clans that you've started to skip Gatherings. Why is this?" I narrow my eyes. "What does that have to do with anything?" Quaildew looks at me with scorn. "You don't have to get your fur ruffled over this. Tell you what- you come to tonight's Gathering, and we can forget about this. Deal?" Unable to answer, I glance at Graystripe. To my surprise, he nods yes. "She will come." With this, Quaildew leaves, and so do we.

"What have you two been? Do you two realize that Firestar has sent out patrols for you? Do you?" Brambleclaw greets us by the entrance to the camp. I let Graystripe go ahead of me. "…I…Can I go to tonight's Gathering?" Brambleclaw looks surprised. "Whatever for?" I'm in the middle of the camp by now and Firestar is padding towards me, followed by Graystripe and Leafpool. Noting this, I pad up to the cats. "Because if I don't go to tonight's Gathering, Quaildew will reveal that…" I see my emotions reflected in Firestar's eyes. The orange male nods. "I see. I was going to ask you anyway. Come. It is time we left. Do you know the way there?" I shake my head. "I don't." "Well, Goldenflower can help you." With this, Firestar yowls for the able cats to follow him out of the camp. I end up next to Leafpool and Goldenflower. "Don't worry. You will be fine."

The Island

Later that Evening

So. It appears that Tailstar has died-leaving Onestar in his place. Onestar assures me that he will try to make amends. But there's nothing he can do if I have Quaildew's kits. I'm over the shock by now-it's just that I don't know how I'm going to react when the time finally comes. Leafpool says to me that I will be fine. I'm not so sure about that.

The leaders have been speaking amongst themselves when I hear something scream off to my right. I spring up, staring into the near darkness. "Who's there?" I call out, "Show yourself!" It's quiet. Too quiet. Then I hear a low voice chuckle. "Well. I didn't expect to find you here." Then trees and bushes rustle and something steps forwards. The thing is holding a doe in its arms, possibly wanting to eat it. The beast notices me staring at the doe and sighs. "I have to eat too, you know." Then the thing steps into the moonlight and all I hear around me are panicking cats.

I know the beast in front of me. I ignore all of the cats and pad forwards. When I reach the animal, I tilt my head back and stare at it. "It is you," it breathes, "What happened to you?" I stare back at the boar before me, silently wondering how he managed to catch that doe in his arms. "Ask Thompson. He did this to me. I've been cursed, Conner, and I have no idea how to turn back to normal." Connor sets the doe on the ground beside him, and transforms back into his normal form, a Dark Wizard (Connor still practices Dark Magic, even though he is good.).

At Connor's transformation, all of the cats begin to freak. "It's a two-leg!" "We're all going to die!" "WAHAA!" Conner ignores the panicking cats and holds his arms out to me. I willingly step into his embrace, suddenly craving human companionship.

I'm purring. I can't think at all. From somewhere above me comes Connor's voice. "I wish that I could take you with me, but I cannot. Fudge has Exiled me to the other side of Fox Lake, to the ruins that lay abandoned there. What he doesn't know is that I have rediscovered the Olde Dark Magic, the 'other' side of magic that was presumed to have been lost along with the Olde Light Magic and various other artifacts and spells in the Great Fire of 1760. I think that the Light Magic is out there still, waiting to be discovered again. I am using the Olde Dark Magic to prepare myself to attack Fudge. Cornelius has gone mad, and now I have found you out here, cursed as a cat. I must leave now." Connor places me back on the grass and stands.

He then turns and transforms back into a boar, picks up the doe carcass, and then steps away from me. Connor then falters, and looks down at the doe in his hands. The boar then tears off a huge piece of the meat and tosses it near me. "Keep it. You'll need your strength if you wish to return and defeat Cornelius. Farewell." The beast then clops off into the woods and the cats slowly creep back to me.

The Clan leaders are still on the branch. "So that massive two-leg dwelling is your home?" I turn to face Mistystar, leader of RiverClan. "Yes. Well, I live somewhere else during the summer, but for most of the year, I live there." I open my mouth to say more, but then I feel something.


	6. Chapter 4- A Queen's Promise

Chapter 4

A Queen's Promise

The Island

10/25/15

"Ravenclaw!" "What is…" "Leafpool! Cinderheart! Every medicine cat, over here, now!" "We're here Firestar." "Quaildew! Get back here!" "...Is she going to be alright?" "Don't ask me that, Quaildew. You broke Clan law. Ask Starclan. Meanwhile, get these herbs-poppy, moss, heather, clover...and a stick. Make sure it can't break." "Poppy, moss, heather...clover, stick. Got it."

Firestar looks over the cats standing over a lone form lying in the middle of the clearing. I hope Ravenclaw lives. 'She will. Do not worry, Firestar, my sister will have four healthy kits, Quaildew will come to live with her. The kits will become great warriors. I am Moondew. Do not fear me. Now, I must stay near my sister.' Firestar can see a pale, star-filled cat sitting nearby the other cats. Cinderheart and Leafpool are staring at her. "Who are you? I have not seen you in StarClan before." The cat named Moondew shifts closer to the writhing form near her. "My name is Moondew. I come from another...side of StarClan, with all kinds of animals living in harmony together, but the intention is the same." Moondew turns and yowls at Quaildew, who is now just bringing back the herbs and the stick. "Come over here...that's it. Now, give me the stick...help me get her mouth open….there. You can bite down on that all you want." In response, a cracking sound is heard, but the stick does not break.

Firestar jumps down from the tree, and pads over to Squirrelflight, his other daughter, and two of her kits, Hollypaw and Lionpaw. "Jaypaw's over there. he seems to know what to do." Squirrelflight nods in agreement. "He is a natural medicine cat. Wait…" Squirrelflight rises as the crowd of cats step back a few paces. Both Lionpaw and Hollypaw widen their eyes; for the new Queen is bathed in moonlight that is falling to rest on her prone form. Tiny squeaking noises are heard and Queens from all four Clans crowd around Ravenclaw.

Jawpaw stands over the awakening Queen. "...Is it over, Jawpaw?" The apprentice nods. "It is over, Ravenclaw, you now have four healthy kits, two toms and two she-kits." Jawpaw raises his tiny head in Firestar's direction. "Shall we go home now?" Firestar's voice sounds close. He seems to be purring. "We shall. Can you stand, Ravenclaw? We can't carry you all the way back to ThunderClan." The leader's voice seems to be amused and proud at the same time.

The Nursery

ThunderClan Camp (Quarry)

Dappletail lifts her head in response to four kits racing around the small den. "Can the four of you settle down? I'm trying to sleep!" Three of the kits skid to a halt, but the forth one skids into them, sending the four kits to the ground in a furry heap. "Cardinalkit! Watch where you're going! You could have hurt someone!" A young queen lifts her head to glare at the four kits getting to their paws. "Sorry, Ravenclaw. it won't happen again…" Ravenclaw stands and shakes her fur, sending tufts in all directions. She then turns to Dappletail. "...I need to go out. Can you watch them?" Dappletail stands as well, and gazes at the cat standing before her. So young to have four kits, they are a handful, but aren't all kits? "Let us go out together. I think Firestar will allow the kits outside today. " In response to this, the four kits begin squeaking with delight. "Yay! We're going outside!" "Can I eat a mouse?" "I want a sparrow." "Can we play with Sunkit, Heatherkit and Dovekit?" Ravenclaw pushes past the moss curtain to emerge in the middle of the abandoned quarry. Cardinalkit, Vinekit, Sparrowkit, and Fernkit race over in Sunkit's, Dovekit's, and Heatherkit's direction, squeaking all the while. Firestar emerges from his den and pads over to Ravenclaw and Dappletail, watching the kits roll around in the dust. "I think that all of them can become apprentices today." Ravenclaw turns to Firestar. "Really? Are you sure?" Firestar nods. "They have shown greatness. Besides, they turn six moons today, let me call everycat, and we can get started."

With a few bounds, Firestar leaps to the top of Highstones, and his voice rings out around the camp. "Let everycat who can catch their own prey join beneath Highstones!" Cats come from everywhere, once everycat is sitting near the Highstones, Firestar calls seven names. "Sunkit, Vinekit, Dovekit, Sparrowkit, Fernkit, Heatherkit, and Cardinalkit, come here." The seven kits creep past the other cats to stand huddled against each other. All of them lift their tiny heads to gaze at Firestar. "All of you have shown that you possess the skills and knowledge to become apprentices. This will take a long time, as there are seven of you today, therefore, each one that is not called will able to stay in the shade until you are called. Now, Cardinalkit." The flame-colored-kit's head pops up. "Yes?" "Come here." Cardinalkit pads up to the base of Highstones. "Cats of StarClan, I ask you to look down upon this kit. He has reached the age of six moons, and is ready to become an apprentice. Cardinalkit, do you promise to protect the Clan in times of danger, and to catch prey?" Cardinalkit nods furiously. "I do." Firestar then lifts his head to the sky and yowls, "Then, Cardinalkit, from this moment forwards, you shall be known as Cardinalpaw. I have chosen a mentor for you," The ThunderClan leader dips his head towards a silver, blue-eyed she-cat. "Ravenclaw? Do you accept Cardinalpaw as your apprentice?" "...Firestar...I...Yes, yes I would." Cardinalpaw waits until his mother reaches him and licks his shoulders before he licks hers. "...Six more...who's next?"

In the end, Heatherkit is renamed Heatherpaw, Dovekit is Dovepaw, Sunkit is Sunpaw, Fernkit is Fernpaw, Vinekit is Vinepaw and Sparrowkit is Sparrowpaw. Firestar lays on the Highstones, panting, "I never had to name that many apprentices before...wow…" Brambleclaw and Graystripe are nearby, meowing about the apprentices. "Vinepaw seems to enjoy staring off into space. I wonder why." "Maybe he takes after his mother?" "It may be. Ravenclaw seems to be missing most of the day. Where is she now?" "She's most likely down by the lake." Sandstorm is padding up to Firestar, looking down at the two warriors below her. "She seems to stare at that massive twoleg dwelling across the shores. If you can get close to her, she seems to be mumbling things, I can't understand most of it."

Jayfeather runs up to the four cats, wide-eyed. Firestar sits up, alarmed. "What is it, Jayfeather?" "Ravenclaw-she-" "She what?" "...I- I don't know, you have to come with me, all of you!" Jayfeather whirls around and streaks towards the entrance to ThunderClan camp. Firestar, Brambleclaw, Sandstorm, and Graystripe stare at each other, then rally two patrols and follow Jayfeather.

Fox Lake (Ruins Side)

5-26-16

3:00 A.M.

"Ravenclaw! Stop!" "You're going to get yourself killed!" "What in the name of StarClan are you doing!?" The silver cat spins around, broken sticks and grass around her. "What are you doing here? You're in danger! Get back!" Firestar pads forwards, eyes narrowed. "What is this, all of these broken sticks and grass?" Ravenclaw glances down and mumbles something. Firestar feels the very air shift and his mouth drops open in surprise. "This, is what I'm known for. Watch and learn." Suddenly, Ravenclaw rears up on her two hind legs, and begins to move her front legs in ways that cats are not usually supposed to move them. All Firestar and the two patrols can do is stare at the cat.

Yes. Yes. Yessss...I can still do magic. How is this even possible? Who cares? Hmm...they seem to be stunned...let's see if I can stun them a little bit more. I spin on my hind paws, batting the air with green and red flames. "What is she doing?" "...I have no idea. Whatever it is, StarClan must have some idea." "I don't think they do." I have to stop using magic right now, I can use it later tonight. I drop back to all fours, the feeling of warmth leaving me as quickly as I rediscovered it. The sudden transition makes me sway and collapse on the beachy sand. Firestar and some other cats appear before me, eyes huge and worried. "What were you doing?" I can only reply with one word. "Magic."

Hogwarts Meadow

3:00 A.M.

I came out here to get away from everything. I've actually lost track of time. I have no idea how long I've been out here for. Hopefully Flitch doesn't catch me...if he does, I'm sure I can come up with some excuse… Lauren's been missing for months, and no one knows where she is. No one can find her. She's just gone.

I find myself standing on the shores of Fox Lake, staring out over the water to the ruins on the other side. I'm about to turn and go back up the stairs when I see flashes of light. Green and red flashes of light. Interested, I turn back to face the water, noticing a dark form moving around rapidly on the other shore. The light seems to be manifesting around this one form. Who is that? I'm worried that the thing making the lights will be gone by the time I walk all the way around the lake, so I shift into a sea-lion and wade towards the water.

Fox Lake (Ruins Side)

3:10 A.M.

"Something is moving towards us, hide!" Everycat throws themselves into the bushes, except me. A few minutes later, the thing heaves itself up onto the beach and lays there, breathing heavily. I approach the animal, not caring of the shocked gasps that come from the direction of the bushes.

I don't want to swim like that again… I turn my tan, sleek body over to find that a small cat is padding towards me. Hello. Who might you be? The cat stops, staring at me. I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable when the cat opens it's mouth a bit and whispers something. Just one word. "...Ben?"

The sea lion heaves himself upright, letting out a yelp of shock. He then lowers his head to mine, staring at me with these big brown eyes. "...Is...that you? How do you know my name?"

I then notice a necklace around the neck of the silver cat. And around that necklace is, "...The Ring...and that's...the Raven's Mark…" I stare at the cat's right paw, then raise my head to gaze into the cat's blue eyes. "...What happened to you?"

I don't remember much. I guess I passed out or something, but the wierd thing is, I think Ben carried me back to ThunderClan camp.

"...Step back, Bearclaw, I think she's waking up." "This is where she's been all of this time?" "Yes. I do not truly understand your grief, but I assure you that if you two are to leave, I will personally call all the Clans together to send you off." "Thank you, Firestar." A few seconds later, a black furred Tom appears over me. "I'm not Ben anymore, at least while I'm here. I'm Bearclaw now. Can you sit up?" "...I think so…"

I find myself in the medicine cat's den, nearby Firestar's den. Jayfeather is nearby me, mixing herbs. "Bearclaw has been ruffling my fur all day. Can you please get him out of here?" I stand and glance over in Jayfeather's direction, even though he cannot see me. "Of course." I pad towards the curtains and push them aside to find all seven apprentices lined up in front of Firestar. "...you sure this 'blazing stick' wasn't caught in the stone, but in it?" "Yes! It had this stone at the top, with a long stick sideways, and then this bright sharp stick. It ended in the stone. It seems to be very old, Firestar." Hearing this, I race over to Firestar. "Where is this stick?" Heatherpaw mumbles something. "Where is it." Huge eyes gaze up at me. "We can show you...follow us." The seven cats run off towards the entrance. I turn to Firestar and Bearclaw. "That two leg dwelling nearby? I'm going home. I think by the time you call the Clans, it'll be too late. Farewell, Firestar." I turn to Bearclaw. "Let's go." I turn and bound towards the moss, Bearclaw close behind me. As we race towards the clearing, calls of cats yowl farewell.


	7. Chapter 5 The Cursed One's Return

Chapter 5

The Cursed One's Return

5-27-16

5:00 A.M.

I'm going back to Hogwarts...just how long have I been gone? Judging by the flowers and birds singing it must be at least May...which means that I'm...I stop dead by an old oak tree, realizing that I'm now 17 years old. 17...at least I can vote in a year. Dwelling on this, I continue on my way, unaware that over two hundred cats are silently following me and Bearclaw towards an unmapped clearing.

I let Ravenclaw go ahead of me, sensing that whatever is in this clearing, she needs to be alone. All at once, furry heads pop up in the bushes next to me. "...Why are all of you here?" Firestar grins. "I told you that we would send you two off, didn't I?" I grin back. "You did." The cats and I turn to watch Ravenclaw take her own life back.

Heatherpaw was right. That 'blazing stick' is right where it should be. The object in question rises far above me, it's total length heightened by the aged, carved rock it's embedded in. Moonlight falls to rest on both the object and the rock, as well as a bit of worn stone and grass.

There is also a shield. It rests against the rock, untouched since August of last year. It too, shines brightly.

But, the thing in the stone is so essential to breaking this curse that was placed upon me. In response to being so near the object, the Raven's Mark flares briefly, shining yellow light onto the grass beneath my silver paws.

As I pad forwards, the symbol on my right front paw begins to glow brighter, and as the light reaches a shade of brightness that's blinding, it happens.

I feel as if I'm shedding a second skin. Four legs become two, the silver fur goes away to pale skin, and the object in front of me doesn't seem as high. A few seconds later, I find myself kneeling on the grass before the thing that undid the curse. …..I'm….myself again….I raise my head to see a haunted figure staring back at me. ...I look that bad? Standing slowly, I reach out towards the blade…

Fudge's head jerks up, staring off in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. "Lucius!" He whispers harshly. "Yes?" Lucius Malfoy is beside his new master, prepared to do anything for him. "I sense...something…" Cornelius rises and walks towards the balcony doors. Throwing them open, he moves to the railing, staring out over his extended territory. "I fear that curse has worn off...fetch me the Falcon. He will deal with her if she comes to avenge herself." Fudge turns to face twenty Death Eaters. "The Falcon is on his way, my Lord." "Excellent. Gather everyone in the Great Hall, we shouldn't have to wait long…." Fudge strides back into the Great Hall, his mad laughter reaching the supporting timbers high up into the ceiling.

Beside the Sword Pedestal

5:30 A.M.

"...I take back this blade, the sword that stands before me. I must slay the corrupt Minister and his assistant. I ask you, Helena, Rachel, I ask you to lend me your combined strength. I would not be asking this of you, had I not been cursed, and therefore be very weak." At the exact moment I finish speaking, I hear two voices inside my head. Welcome back. We will accept your request. 'Fudge has learned of your return. Be wary, for he has something called the Falcon at his disposal. I believe it to be a massive bird of prey.' "I knew it! I knew you could do it! Listen carefully-there is a shield surrounding Hogwarts, you must break that shield with the sword that stands before you. The moment you break the shield, however, the Falcon will know where you are, expect retaliation from it." 'Thank you Morgan, your words of advice are appreciated.' I feel love and strength flow from me and I reach out with both hands towards the sword.

Come on...just this once...please make this work-with a sound of a sword being unsheathed after being reforged, the blade rises up out of the stone, blazing like the sun. I did it…. "Mew." I turn. A small, silver cat is staring up at me, it's blue eyes wide. So, this is how this ends. Bending down, I lay the sword on the grass besides me and hold out a hand towards the cat. "I won't hurt you." The cat meows again and head-butts my hand. She then speaks to me. 'Thank you. I was trapped in my own body. Now, I can return to ThunderClan.' The cat then turns away from me and begins to run towards the bushes. Then she stops and looks back at me. "I was formally called named Silverstream in my previous life. I will accept the name of 'Ravenclaw'." She then turns back to face the bushes and starts yowling out names. Then the bushes rustle and all of the cats step out of them.

"We thank you for returning Silverstream to us. We will never forget you-your life will live on in every Clan cat. Your story will be told at Gatherings for many moons to come. We will be here for as long as we can. Farewell." Firestar flicks his tail and the Clans melt into the bushes. All except for one cat. Bearclaw rears up on his hind legs, and at the same time, shifts into the person that is my best friend.

I don't know how long we stand there hugging each other. I guess it's more than ten minutes.

"We should get going. It'll take us all day to get back from where we are." I look up from where I'm sitting, polishing Dragon's Fire. "I have a better idea." I sheathe Dragon's Fire and stand, then begin to walk towards the shores of Fox Lake. "Where are you going?" "Just come with me."

I feel like I'm flying. Lauren's come back. I don't think I've been so happy in my life. We're both on the shores of Fox Lake, ankle-deep in the water, staring out over the water. "What is this idea of yours?" "I think it'd be faster if we swam across the lake." "In your condition?" Lauren shakes her head. "No. You transform into something, like a dolphin, and I ride on your back." "...That could work." I wade into the water and shift into a bottlenose dolphin. Lauren then climbs onto my back, sword and all, and I leap forwards.

Fox Lake (Docks Side)

6:00 A.M

"What is that?" "...Dolphins reside in Fox Lake?" "I think there is a person riding on the back of the dolphin...now they're surfing the dolphin...now they're coming towards us...move!" The dolphin and it's rider fly from the water, landing a few feet away from the shore.

After a few moments of lying on the warm sand, I manage to sit up and gaze around me. People are rushing towards me and the dolphin, which hasn't moved yet.

"...That hurt...ow...at least we made it, right?" The dolphin's one visible eye is open and gazing up at me. I'm not amused. "We almost died! Are you insane? ...Why am I blaming you, it was my idea…" I stand and walk away from the dolphin, noticing a massive ship being unloaded at the docks. Let's see if Kris can help me in any way…

The Gangplank (The Docks)

Main Deck

"Krusha! Get those barrels back below decks! I didn't tell you to bring them up yet!" "...Sorry." "What did I tell you about sword fighting while the ship is in port? Honestly, it's as if you are deaf! Put those swords back where you found them. Now." "Y-Yes Captain." Kris is about to yell at some other unfortunate sailor when he sees someone standing up against the railing, looking forlorn. "...You're...back...where have you been?" The person walks up to him, seeming at home on the huge ship. "Living with wild cats. What have you been doing?" "...Wild cats...you must tell me everything. Captain's Quarters. Now."

Captain's Quarters

9:00 A.M.

"So that is where you have been for the past eight months...interesting...and now that this...curse...has been broken, you can take revenge of Fudge...listen...it isn't just you, Fudge has been tracking everything that enters and leaves Hogwarts. By any means possible. He has spies everywhere-it's only a matter of time before this...bird finds you-" "What bird?" Kris leans over the table and stares at me. "You don't know? The bird is a massive Falcon. Trained to deal with anyone Fudge finds...troublesome. People like you. If it finds you…" Kris shudders visibly and won't say anything else about this 'falcon', so I decide to leave.

Hogwarts (Hagrid's Cabin)

10:00 A.M.

"That Falcon...he's injured more students just by diving at them more than anything...if someone would just shoot the thing...if you truly wish to defeat Fudge, you'll have to slay the bird first." A large group of teachers have gathered in Hagrid's Cabin. I'm the only student there. I'm currently sitting in a huge armchair, but I then stand, and unsheathe Dragon's Fire. "Slay the bird? I can do that. Shouldn't be too hard…" "Oh, but it is…" People turn aside. A figure is limping towards me, leaning on a cane. "Look at me. That bird did this to me. I still haven't recovered...what it could do to you...is unspeakable. Even with that sword, the beast will hurt you in some way. I'm warning you, if you wish to fight the bird, do it on open ground. You'll be more able to survive." It's Lupin. "...You died. How are you…" The shape-shifting werewolf smiles at me. "...I don't know myself." Just then, the door slams open to reveal a wide-eyed Dumbledore. His gaze is directed at me. "...It's coming...hide."


	8. Chapter 6- When Falcons Attack

Chapter 6

When Falcons Attack

Hogwarts Meadow

11:00 A.M.

I waste no time. After hearing Dumbledore's message, I push past him and sprint out of Hagrid's Cabin to see a dark shape in the sky coming towards me. "...So that's the Falcon...doesn't seem so big to…" The ground shakes as the easily 20 feet tall beast lands in front of me, letting out a terror inducing screech. ...I have to fight this thing? What do I even do? I can't do anything. The bird lifts his head and plunges his golden beak down in my direction.

...I'm alive...why does it feel as if I'm flying...wait...I make the mistake of opening my eyes and quickly close them. …...I'm in the bird's beak…...I don't even want to think about how high up I am...that's weird...I still have Dragon's Fire...I open my eyes again, and look at what appears to be a glass dome. What is that? Wait...the bird's going to-

The Great Hall

11:05 A.M.

Glass shatters everywhere. cutting students and teachers alike. Only Fudge remains unharmed. He is happy. For his Falcon has returned to him. I have brought her, master. As the Falcon lands, Fudge begins to walk down the wooden stairs in front of the Teacher's Table, heading for the beast.

...Where am I….lights...so many….Fudge? What's he doing here? "Welcome back, Animagus. I have been expecting you...you probably cannot hear me now, so I will be brief. You will go back where you came from. And you will not come back. Frederick...cast her into the waters of Fox Lake." I am not going back there. Which means if I'm going to do something, I'd better do it fast...if I can only move my sword...I somehow manage to raise Dragon's Fire up to the Falcon's face, and thrust forwards.

I'm awarded with a deafening screech of pain and then I'm lying on the ground, silently thinking how happy I am to be on solid ground again.

After untold minutes, the bird suddenly flies upwards, leaving the Great Hall. I somehow muster enough strength to stand, wiping fresh blood from my face as I do so.

Almost all of the lights are out. It's nearly silent as well. I ignore Fudge for the moment and turn to face the people in the Great Hall. "...I didn't plan to come back this way...but I guess it worked because I am here. After being gone for over 8 months, this place feels like heaven to me...in a way…" I walk away from Fudge, heading over to one of the four long tables. "I haven't seen most of you in a very long time. Do you want to know what happened to me? You should ask Thompson that. I was cursed into a cat. For eight months of my life, I lived with four groups of cats known as Clans. ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan. My Clan name was Ravenclaw-" Several gasps are heard from all of the tables here, "And this is what I looked like." I curl my left hand into a fist, let it hover over the object covering my right wrist, and punch the object.

A small, silver cat stands in the place of the person. "Can all of you hear me?" "Very good. You have come this far, but can you survive being hit by Olde Light Magic?" Gasps ring around the room and the small cat shoots upwards to become the person standing there.

"Olde Light Magic? What are you talking about, Fudge?" The Minister of Magic raises his hands and two balls of white light appear. "This." Then he fires the spell at me.

I lower my hands. Other than a circle of burnt tile around me, I'm fine. "What?!" Fudge's cry of outrage causes me to look up. "How are you not dead?!" I feel warmth flow through me and I lower my head, only to notice something blue resting in the palms of my hands. "...How...Olde Dark Magic…..I found it…." I raise my hands and my head. "I found something. Something that was lost. You want to fight Olde Magic with Olde Magic? I can do that. Why? Because I can wield this-" Blue fire hits the glass window above Fudge and colored glass rains down upon him.

From all four tables, people stand up and begin to applaud my actions. Still wielding the blue fire, I half turn to face the students. "I'm not done yet…" A huge shadow drapes the Great Hall. "What was that…" The huge shadow drapes the room again. And again. Is that the falcon? "SSSKKKRRREEEEEEE!" The rest of the lights go out as the bird swoops back into the Great Hall, screeching in fury. I raise my hands and the blue fire flares. Come closer. That's it. Now move a little to the left…...gotcha. "SSSKKKRREECCCHHH!" Nice. Stay still so I can hit you again. I fire the spell again, or try to. At the same time I throw the spell at the Falcon, Fudge fires his spell at me and the spells collide in mid air.

I'm thrown backwards. I land behind an overturned long table and I just lay there, wondering what happened.

"Where did she go? Find her Frederick, I want her alive!" I'm staring up at a darkened ceiling, hidden from view by a table. ...Ow...I'd better not try to get hit by my own spell again... I can hear the Falcon flying around, searching for me. …Alright. let's see where this goes. Still behind the table, I sit up and raise my hands…

Blue fire hits the bird, pain fills him. "SSKKRREECCHH!" MUCH PAIN. MUCH ANGER. WHERE IS THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO ME...THERE. The Falcon spots hits target and dives.

So, you found me? Okay, we can play that game. Take this, you flying furball. Another hit. I stand, and step out from behind the table. "I'm here. You want me? Come and get me." The bird continues diving at me and I shoot it once again. "Are you done? This isn't good for your health." The bird finally speaks. "Gah! You dare speak to me? Laird Frederick? Leader of Falcons? My home is Falcon Valley, the one which lies below the bridge outside this very room. Once I finish with you, Kumach, I will continue to terrorize the people who reside here." "You can't even get close to me." The falcon shrieks with laughter. "Hah! Do not get cocky with me, Kumach, for I know more than you. I have been alive for over fifty years. Now- let us see if you can stop me." The falcon flaps his wings and flies upwards. At the same time, Fudge suddenly appears in front of me. I have a split second to choose between Fudge or the bird. I shoot the bird.

I'm still behind the table. I'm thinking of just giving up when I hear a voice above me. "Serves you right. If I was that bird, I would have tore you to pieces. You think you're so clever, don't you?" ...Did he just say that to me? Still lying on the tile, I reply to the person. "Do you want to die?" "You should have. When I attacked those cats. You should have died then." "But I didn't." "That's why you have to die now." I'm very lucky. At the exact moment when the person swings something at me, I roll over and get to my feet.

It's Thompson. He's holding what appears to be a iron bat and is currently trying to get it out of the tile floor. I raise my hands and I can't say that I don't enjoy the look of terror on Thompson's face. "...Olde Darke Magic….no….no….don't shoot me….please no…." I take a step forwards. "Tell that to the person I was eight months ago. I'm not who I was, Thompson. And soon, you won't be alive." I take one more step towards Thompson and fire the spell.

A battered body flies out from behind the table and lands in the middle of the Great Hall. No one moves. Then a person holding a sword walks out from behind the table, her left hand holding a ball of blue fire. "Does anyone else want to mess with me?"

...I killed someone….I continue walking towards Fudge, Dragon's Fire in my right hand and a spell in my left. Some of my friends must remember me saying the following words ten months ago. "Give it up, Cornelius. It's over. I've killed Thompson, the one who cursed me in the first place. I can kill your falcon, and I can kill you. If you want to die, that can happen." I then somehow infuse Dragon's Fire with Olde Darke Magic, and the blade turns a bright blue color. "Come on. Come closer to me. Just one chance and you're dead." I take the sword in both hands and walk up to Fudge, who appears to be frozen solid. I raise Dragon's Fire, "...Is this it? You're not going to do anything?", and…..

Something digs into my shoulders. Then something screeches. "SSKKKKRREEEEEECHHHH! YOU FOOL! DID YOU THINK THAT I WOULD NOT COME BACK? LAIRD FREDERICK? LEADER OF FALCONS? NOW YOU SHALL DIE FOR YOUR ACTIONS." …...Oh no...I slowly turn to face the falcon, who is hovering just above me. "You again?" The bird clacks his beak. "Yes. And this time I shall not fly away. I shall stay and deal with you." Without warning, the bird rears his head back, and dives at me.

"NNNOOOOO!" "Yes….you ignorant fool. See what happens to people who try to kill me?" …...I...must….be at...least...20 feet in the air….what even… "What shall I do master?" Fudge's voice seems to be directly below me. "Cast her into the waters of Fox Lake...but first...I need four things from you…" I'm fully awake now and all I can do is look down at Fudge. "You're not taking my things. You'll have to kill me first." Fudge smiles grimly. "That can be arranged. Frederick, cleave her."

….Everything's gone…..all of it…..the Ring….Shield….my watch….but I won't let him take my sword from me. If I have to die, I'll stab the beast. The falcon is hovering over the jagged hole in the glass dome, and, half blinded, I take the covered in blood-sword, and stab the beast.

"SSSSKKKKKRRREEEEEEEECCCHHHHHHHH!" The beast's scream of pain can be heard everywhere. Even in Hogsmeade. "...She did it...wait...what was that flash of light...no...oh gods-she fell into Fox Lake...someone, help!"

Moments after the falcon flies upwards and disappears through the jagged hole in the glass dome, a scream of pain is heard, and moments after the falcon's scream of pain, a sword falls through the hole to land point first in the tile floor in front of the podium, quivering. Everyone who witnesses this knows whose sword it is, and some begin to panic. Me? I notice a bow lying near me on a lone long table and I pick it up. ...The Bow of Light...and the arrow...a Light Arrow...why did...I notice Connor standing in a corner. He silently nods at me, then jerks his head in the direction of the balcony. "...Of course...shoot the bird...and Lauren might stand a chance…" I stand and sprint over to the open doors leading to the balcony. While I make my way over to the doors, I notch the Light Arrow to the Bow of Light and lower the bow.

Once outside, I run over to the railing and raise the bow again. Then I hear a voice. "If you shoot my bird I will kill you." Silently tracking the bird, I slowly move the Bow of Light until I know it's going to hit the flying bird of prey. "You're going to have to shoot me now, Fudge. I'm not stopping for anything." I then pull the arrow back, and fire. Moments later, another scream of pain is heard. Gotcha. You won't be flying for a while. Watching the bird tumble head over tail, I notice something fall into the waters of Fox Lake. ...At least she's safe in the water. That bird won't go near the lake. Then I turn to face Fudge, but he's surrounded by Death Eaters, and Fudge is holding a sword lengthwise. "...Dragon's Fire…..whoever holds this sword can command anything...it can turn shapeshifters to mindless beasts...it can control entities...if combined with Olde Magic, the one who wields it is unstoppable…" Fudge stops mumbling and raises his gaze to me. "Ah, Forester...what a pleasant surprise...if I manage to take the Master Sword from you, and combine it with the sword in my hands…" Fudge throws his head back and laughs madly. ...He's insane….completely insane...I reach behind me and unsheathe the blade of my ancestors, and hold it in front of me. ...Great Goddess Hylia, give me strength. Give me Courage. Give me Wisdom. Give me Power. I raise my gaze from the Master Sword to Fudge. Give me the Triforce. 'Young Hero. I hear your plea. I grant you your request. Don't move.' ...Don't move? Wait...what's-

...What happened to me?! What am I?! 'A Dragon.' Why? 'You must stop Fudge from using Dragon's Fire. Take it from him. For the sword is like the Triforce. If someone good uses it, their emotions reflect the sword's power. If someone bad uses the blade...terrible things can happen.' How can I stop him? 'A duel.' I can do that. No one can defeat me in sword fighting. I take a tentative step forwards, enjoying the sound of claws striking stone. I feel so powerful. I take the Master Sword in both hands, noting a significant change in it. It's a lot bigger. 'It is for a Dragon Lord.' Thanks for the information. I swing the blade downwards and it sings as it cuts through the air. "Cool. What else can I do…" Fudge has started to back away and I leap at him. "You're not going anywhere." Fudge senses that he has to duel me and he raises Dragon's Fire. "You will be slain and lye at my feet forever." I raise my sword. "Are you certain?" Fudge nods. I then roar and charge at the man. The swords collide and sparks fly everywhere. It sounds as if the blades are screaming in pain at each other.


	9. Chapter 7- Dragon Rider (Eragon!)

Chapter 7

Dragon Rider

Fox Lake (Ruins Side)

6-3-16

12:00 A.M.

…...You have lain at my claws for too long. Awaken. You must train to be a Rider. A Dragon Rider. When I deem you ready, we shall return here. Awaken.

"She's not dead, is she?" A sigh. "No. That bird nearly did kill her, though." "Dragonus, what do you mean by her being a Rider? Are you her Dragon?" "No, Eragon, I am not. But she must become one if she is to defeat Cornelius Fudge, and rid Hogwarts of evil." I'm alive? Where am I? A boy of about 17 years of age appears above me, so do two dragons. One blue, one red. "...Eragon?" "Don't speak. You're in Rivendell. I'm not sure how Saphria and I got here, or you, but what matters is that you are alive." "She is awake? Good. I feared that she would not awaken for weeks." The red dragon speaks. "You are very weak. You will stay here for a week , then we will train. I must leave now, for Connor has agreed to let you train in the Art of Olde Darke Magic. Farewell." …...I'm in Rivendell, Eragon and Saphria are here...what else will happen to me?

Rivendell

Middle-earth

6-3-16

10:00 A.M.

I've recovered. Somewhat. I'm not even going to try to figure out how I got here, or why I'm here. It's hard to believe that I'm actually in Middle-earth. And it turns out that I still have the Ring. I guess someone found it or something and gave it to Eragon for safekeeping.

Elrond, Elf Lord of Rivendell, silently walks up to the railing that overlooks the river flowing far below him. "So. There is a new Ringbearer?" The wizard besides him nods. "Yes. But the Ring cannot be used for evil. Not anymore. When Gollum fell into the fires of the now-dormant Mt. Doom, the fire acted like time-stones, sending the now transformed Ring far into the future...it landed on a fellow wizard's desk, late at night, the elf-script forever visible inside and around the Ring, it was no longer golden, but silver, and you can choose when to become invisible." "How do you know all of this, Gandalf?" The old wizard smiles. "Because I happen to be close friends with the owner of the desk the Ring fell on. Albus Dumbledore. World renowned wizard and the current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We speak quite often." The cloaked, white bearded wizard turns to also face the gorge. "I have spoken to him in the last week, and he seemed to be shocked that the Ringbearer is here, for he says that she is a student of his." Elrond turns to Gandalf, surprised. "Really? Can I see the lass?" Gandalf nods. "You may. Follow me."

Rivendell

Outside the House of Council

6-3-16

12:00 A.M.

I've been wandering around Rivendell for at least an hour. Elves have been nodding to me everywhere I go. They've been calling me something, but I can't pronounce it. It sounds like. 'Feralandla'. I think it means 'Ringbearer' or something. Anyway, I've ended up outside this big building, with massive pillars surrounding it. What is this place? Is it a temple? My thoughts are interrupted. "Ringbearer. I request to speak with you." I turn around to see two people standing together.

As all of you know who are reading this, Middle-earth is fictional. Not in this book. Hence why I react in the following paragraphs. Keep reading, fellow readers.

"...Gandalf….Elrond…..you're….real…." "As real as you. Did you forget that you met Aragorn? And Frodo and Sam and Merry and Pippin? I think not. Now, if I were to ask you if could see the Ring as it is of now, would you let me see it?" It takes me a few seconds to understand the wizard's question. "I don't see why not." As I take the Ring out of my left pocket of my tattered jeans, I notice that people are starting to crowd around me.

Sunlight catches the Ring and it seems to flare up. I don't remember it doing that. Gandalf holds out a weathered hand. "May I?" I nod, letting the Ring fall into the old man's open hand. The Wizard then holds the Ring up to the light. "Yes. It is truly the One Ring. And it is not. It is a shadow of its former self." Gandalf hands the Ring back to me. "I believe that your Dragon is returning. Perhaps you will begin training soon." I stare at him. "Training? What for?" Gandalf takes out his staff and bangs it on the ground, causing it to flare brilliantly. "To become a Dragon Rider. What other reason are you here for?" From far away I can hear something roar. Something else answers it. Another roar. "That'll be Saphria. And I'll bet that Dragonus is back as well." "Eragon, when did you get here?" "At this exact location? Five minutes ago."

The Launching Pad

Outside Rivendell

2:00 A.M.

The red Dragon flies overhead, enjoying the feeling of wind flowing over his wings. The blue scaled female speaks to him, and he answers her. "You are the spirit of a sword?" "Yes. For many years, far more than you have been alive. The blade I was encased is was called Dragon's Fire. I am not an actual Dragon, but I was cursed into one. My human name was Nathandrial Flameson." Saphria swoops down about a thousand feet then levels out. Her Rider is consoling Dragonus's Rider in training. "...I didn't agree to this." "Do you want to land?" "No. I'm fine. Really. I'm just not used to be flying all over the place like this." "I'm still not used to it. But that's the thrill of riding a Dragon."

They soar over the falls, swooping down to glide so near the water, their Rider's feet skim the rushing flow. "What do you think?" "I still don't like doing all of this swooping and diving, but this I could get used to." "...Well. If you're used to this, then maybe you can do something else…" "What do you mean, something else?" Eragon smiles wickedly. "This." He leans to the left and Saphria rolls, causing the Rider in training to fall off of the blue Dragon.

I'm falling. I don't know how fast, but I am falling. Possibly to my death. ...I am so going to kill him….this isn't so bad...if you count falling really fast. Oh. Okay. That hurt. I guess we were only twenty feet from the river...alright...which way is...why is the water moving so...oh no...I'm caught in the rapids! Help!

Dragonus sees his Rider fall from Saphira's back and roars at her. "What in the name of Scala are you doing?!" "...It was Eragon's idea…" The red Dragon snarls in anger. "It does not matter-...we must speak later." Dragonus folds in his massive blood red wings and dives towards the river.

….Can't see...I can't do anything...I'm helpless against the river's current...ow...ow...ow...I'm getting sick of these rocks everywhere...why is everything getting dark….how long have I been holding my breath for….now I know the sensation of your lungs burning….have to breathe….can't...what a horrible way to die...drowning from the inside….how am I still thinking clearly….what's that huge shadow above me...ow… Great. Why not ruin your clothing even more? At least I'm alive...where is Dragonus taking me...over there….the sun beating down on me feels nice...so does the sand beneath me...I think I'll just…

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The Great Hall

7-1-17

It has been a year since Frederick cast the Cursed One into the waters of Fox Lake. Fudge has gone absolutely crazy. I'm not even going to tell you what he's been doing, other than that he has kept all of us in here for a week straight. He allows the teachers to get supplies, but he doesn't allow anyone else to leave. What started as an okay predicament quickly turned into an unbearable one. I'm just lucky to still be alive.

Each house has their own section. As in the normal world, when someone has a contagable disease, whoever they are in contact with can get it as well. A Hufflepuff first-year died from a fever, then others began to have the same symptoms. Madam Pomfrey is calling it 'Yellow Fever' which hasn't been around for a very long time. It can't be contained and even Fudge has it.

Even if we were back in our dormitories, we can't do anything for the dead, not to say the sick people. Which is almost everyone. Including me. I'm in the beginning stages, but I do have Yellow Fever. I'm one of the few people that are out on the balcony that overlooks the ruins side of Fox Lake. Which means that because we are up in the air, and as the fever weakens us, it also helps us, in a way, because we are a lot cleaner than the people inside the Great Hall. Now I know what my ancestor meant when he wrote that being ill is enough to drive a man mad. He was in a prison cell, I'm currently lying on a stone balcony staring up into the sky, but the illness is the same thing.

Now, because of the illness, I can't wear anything. Nothing. Everyone has a small collection of their own private thoughts, and one of mine is that I'm very happy that the other people that are out here with me are all men.

Middle-earth

Outside of Rivendell

7-1-17

I've been here for a year. I'm 18 now, and Eragon has deemed me ready to leave and return to Hogwarts. I've received word from Gandalf that this illness called 'Yellow Fever' has struck the Magic community, and people are dying because of it. More of a reason to go back.

"We must leave immediately. Even as we stand here, more and more students fall ill. If you return, you can save all of them. Dragon Rider, do you swear to protect and help your people?" "I do." "Then, let us be off." Dragonus bends down and I climb into the custom saddle that is draped across his back, fix the holding straps, and the red Dragon flaps his massive transparent wings and takes to the skies.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The Quidditch Field/ Stadium

7-1-17

"As all of you know that are gathered here today, today is the last Quidditch match of this year. Slytherin and Hufflepuff are out of the match because so many of their players are ill. So, may I introduce Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw, in the last match. May the best house win!" Players on broomsticks move in motion, zooming around the Quidditch Field at more than 60 miles an hour. The players wave to their fans, even going so far as to blow kisses at the fawning girls. "Might as well make this one count, eh?" "I don't really care who wins, I just want to be out here." "Same here...hey...look up there….w-what is that?!"

A shadow drapes the Stadium, sending all who are in the stands into a state of fear. "What is that?" "We...can't fight that thing...wait...it's not that bird, it's a dragon...someone is sitting on it...who is it?" "I can't tell-is it going to land here?" "Move!" The players scatter in all directions as the dragon lands in the middle of the playing field.


	10. Chapter 8-Blood, Spirit, & Hatred (TP!)

Chapter 8

Blood, Spirit, and Hatred.

Quidditch Field/Stadium

…...Where is everyone? 'Those who were able came to see these humans play. The rest...are either dead or locked away in the castle.' Well, at least some of them didn't get ill. 'They are ill. Just well enough to come out here, it seems.' I'm wasting time talking to you, Dragonus, I need to help everyone. Don't go anywhere. 'Do you think I would?' I reach down with a gloved hand and undo my leg straps. From there, I undo the straps that keep me from falling to my death while Dragonus is in the air.

I then slid off of the red dragon and turn to face the growing number of people on broomsticks that are surrounding me. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor eh? The Captain of Gryffindor floats up to me. "Who are you, and what are you doing here? Be gone!" "That isn't going to work, Mason." Mason gets off his broomstick and walks up to me. "That voice...do I know you?" I nod. "You should." I then reach up with both hands and remove my Rider helmet. Mason's mouth drops open and the other players turn to each other and begin to talk loudly. Mason turns to them and tells them to be quiet, then turns back to me. "You're alive?! And...wearing this!" He gestures at my armor. "Where have you been? We're all dying, and you've been gone?!" 'Be careful. Friends have died, and he may blame you.' If people are going to start blaming for all of this, I'm going to have a hard time doing anything. "Mason…" "No. Don't even talk to me. Because you left, everyone is dead! Because of you, we can't play. Because of you...we can't leave...the...great...hall...You ruined everything! Now, because you brought death and ruin upon us, you're going to die."

Mason holds out a covered hand to one side and a scythe appears to rest in his hand. "Isn't this a little bit unnecessary?" "No." He then swings the weapon at me and I bring up my hands.

"She has come back. Good. Once Mason has dealt with her, Frederik can have what's left." Fudge turns from the railing and kicks unfortunate students aside as he makes his way back into the ruined Great Hall. Feirback follows him, snapping at anyone who gets too close. "If she survives all that will come before her, she still has me to deal with."

… Darkness...pain….must find Rider...must...live… "What will you do now, Dragon? The one you were supposed to protect is dead. No one can survive a Light Scythe. No one. The bird shall come soon to take care of the rest." No….I must awaken...I must protect...I renounce my curse...I take back my old name, my old body, everything. Let me live!

From somewhere above me, I can hear a falcon screaming. "The light! I can't see! Ah!" Then something lands on top of me.

Feathers. Golden feathers. ….I'm not dead. The scythe...I felt it...if I'm alive then what...is in front of me… "I have taken back my old name, my old body, and my old life. I am Nathandrial Flameson once more. As for you...bird, killer of man, you shall die." The thing on top of me starts to writhe in pain and then it goes limp. A few seconds later, I can see someone standing over me. Whoever it is, they're covered in light. "Get up," the voice says, "You are still needed. Get up."

I find myself still in the Quidditch Stadium, but there is no one here. I'm alone. Other than the other person. I turn in his direction. "Who are you?" The covered-in- light man smiles. "My old self. I was Dragonus, but no more. Call me Flameson. Nathandrial Flameson."

The Falcon lies dead at my feet. At least I didn't have to kill it. I force my gaze from the prone bird to the stands where students and teachers alike are gawking at me. "...Where is everyone?" A ragged first year stands up. "...In the Great Hall...Henry...d-d-d-...died...and then...everyone got sick...and more people…." I motion to the kid to sit and he does. I turn from the crowd and begin to walk in no certain direction. Even Flameson doesn't follow me.

The White Tower

Dumbledore's Office

7-2-17

4:00 A.M.

"It's about time you came back. Yes, I can tell who is outside my door. Come in." I slowly open the aged door and step inside the room. Thanks to the power of the Ring, it was possible to make my way from the Main Entrance up to the Headmaster's Office.

Dumbledore is staring in my direction, even though he cannot see me. "Take off the Ring. You are safe here." I take the Ring off and slip it back into my jean pocket. I then cross the room to stand in front of Dumbledore's desk. He merely smiles up at me. "The things you are looking for are in the back room. And take Fawkes as well. I believe he will help you." I thank Dumbledore and step around his desk and head to the back room.

Moments later, the sound of breaking glass is heard along with a bird screeching, a flash of green light, and the sound of metal hitting metal. So. Dumbledore thinks to himself, It is done. And as for the glass...Seconds later, the Ringbearer appears in front of him once again. Holding a tattered book. "Can I use this?" Albus slowly stands. "I don't see why not. I believe there are a few pages on Olde Magic in the Texts. In the meantime, may I walk down with you?" "Of course." "Then let us be off."

The Great Hall

Ten minutes later

The twin oak doors open, revealing two people.

It smells like death in here...and sickness...what...The sight that greets me is horrifying. People lying on tables, in corners and on the floor, a darkened area that has flies swarming around it, and the condition everyone is in. They look like malnourished zombies. I'm about to leave when a person lifts their head.

"...It's you...leave...you'll die if you don't…" "What do you mean, 'die'?" Someone else stands up across the room and I have to not look at them directly because they aren't wearing anything. "You can't control yourself, you can't sleep, you can't eat...and you? Where have you been for the past year? Living somewhere else?" The kid starts to go on but he falls over and several people rush over to him.

Then another student lifts his head and shakes it. "He's dead." "I feel as if we're being denied death." There are other comments like this and I turn to face Dumbledore, unable to say anything. "That is Yellow Fever. There are more dead every hour." Albus takes me by the shoulders. "You must help them. The Texts will tell you what spells to use. Start with the people on the balcony. I think that you'll know one of them." I somehow manage to nod. "...I didn't think it would be like this...I thought I could just walk in here...not heal people…" I step away from Albus and open the Texts, revealing pages upon pages of spells.

I quickly skim most of them until I come to a section titled 'Cures for Illnesses and Plagues'. ...Found it. where is….there. I look up. "I found it." "Good, at least that is curable." Wondering if the spell is really going to work, I start to walk towards the balcony, still holding the Texts in my left hand.

The Balcony

4:20 A.M.

It's even worse out here. It's more clean, probably because there are only men out here and the fact that there are openings in the railing. ...No. I don't want to even begin to think of what they've been doing. I'll just start on the outside and work my way in.

Still holding the Texts, I kneel next to the prone form and check the spell again. I'm still checking it when I feel pressure on my knee. "...I knew you would come back…" I look up from the page. "...I did….the Texts has a spell...that can help you…" "...Use it…" I can only nod and I bend my head and begin to recite the spell.

I immediately begin to feel better. Whatever the spell is, it works. For the first time in a week, I'm able to stand without feeling pain or weakness. I turn to thank Lauren for healing me, but I discover that she is healing other people. That really is a book of wonders...what else can it do…

It slowly dawns on me that it's cold. And that I have nothing on. There's no reason for this now that I'm well again. There's a pile of untouched clothing near the door and I walk over and rummage through it. Finding my old clothing, I put them on and turn around to see lots of people standing and celebrating. "We're cured!" "We can wear clothing again!" "We can eat!" Students begin to walk past me, talking to each other and they enter the Great Hall for the first time in over a week.

I shouldn't feel like this. There's nothing in the Texts that says anything about feeling ill after healing people. Or is there...I sit down against the railing and open the Texts to the page where the cure for Yellow Fever is found. There's another section that wasn't there before. WARNING: MAY CAUSE SAPPING OF LIFE AND STRENGTH. USE ONLY IN EMERGENCIES. "...well...any case of Yellow Fever is an emergency. As for sapping of life and strength...maybe that's what's wrong with me…"

After ten minutes of dealing with the effects of healing lots of people with Olde Magic, I walk back into the Great Hall, noting all of the people that are standing and talking to each other. Everyone is cured. The people that I cured on the balcony remembered the exact pronunciation of the healing spell and used it on everyone else that was ill. Now, they greet me with applause.

I hold up my hands to silence everyone. "...I've been gone for...I think a year...what else has happened?" Tons of voices answer me. "Fudge went crazy." "People were sent to the dungeons, they haven't come back." "...Practically everything that can protect us is dead or in hiding…" Hearing this, I look for the person who said the disturbing comment. "You. What's your name?" A small kid steps forwards. "...Matthew." "...How do you know this?" Matt's eyes grow huge. "...Because I was there...when...he killed them…." "...Who did?" Just then, the twin doors slam open, and a man in a black cloak is holding the doors open with a spell. "I did."

…...He's back? "...Tom...what are you doing here?" He lifts his head. "...You've seen better days, haven't you?" Tom steps forwards and the doors slam shut. Reaching behind me, I unsheathe Dragon's Fire and the sound of the action echos to the supporting beams. "What do you want?" The Dark Lord stops in the middle of the room, looking in all directions. "...I heard that Cornelius has become a problem...supposeably, your sister asked me to return here and deal with him…" He seems to say more but then, all of the lights go out at once.

Mad laughter reaches the ceiling. "Welcome back, Voldemort, now I can kill you as well!" Tom spins, trying to find out where the voice is coming from. "How dare you!" Seconds later, I find myself back to back with him. "I never thought this would happen." "...Never mind about that! Just try not to get yourself killed!"

The Great Hall

7-2-17

11:00 P.M.

I've summoned the Darke Olde Magic again. Blue light flickers in my left hand and I can just barely see Fudge standing in front of the podium, surrounded by Death Eaters. "Your falcon is dead." "I realize this. You killed him, therefore, you shall pay dearly." Fudge raises his hands, and fires a spell at me.

Some people say that I flew through the air, made a human-sized hole in the twin oak doors, broke three support beams for the railing over Falcon Valley, and fell into the ravine. Of course, I don't remember any of this…

Falcon Valley

7-4-17

Dawn (7:00 A.M.)

I find myself in a bed of ferns two days later. It takes me a while to get up from the fern bed because I'm just amazed at how quiet it is. I don't hear anything other than my own breathing...no wildlife, or wind….Then I realize something. Why am I still down here? I can just transform into something and fly back up.

I decide to transform into an eagle. Once the transformation is complete, I waddle around to get used to being an eagle. Not bad for a first time transformation...I then hop around, flap my wings a few times, and then tilt my head back and let out the infamous eagle screech. ...This is amazing...I gaze up at the bridge far above me. ...I think this could work...I bend down and flap my wings. Seconds later, I feel myself lifting from the grass and then I'm flying up to the bridge.

….I am hurt….but I am alive….the shape-shifter will pay...my master did say to bring her back alive….ah….the eagle….a magnificent creature...too bad you will perish by my talons...the bird takes off from his pine tree towards the bird flying overhead.

I'm almost to the bridge when I hear something. Then something tackles me in mid air and I'm falling…..

Several hours later, two birds are found with locked talons, bleeding wounds, and missing feathers. The discovery is made by a group of students who saw the birds fall from the sky. "Isn't that Fudge's falcon?" "Yeah, but who is this?" One kid walks over to the other bird and lifts one wing. And stares at it. For in the place where the back of a hand would be for a human is a yellow bird, wings open to the heavens, seemly burned onto the bird's right wing. The students crowd around the bird, which begins to stir. "Get back. All of you." "...Should we get someone?" The oldest of the group nods. "Get any teacher you can find. And you'd better hurry."

The bird is carried from nearby the top of Falcon Valley to inside the Infirmary, where a red dragon watches the doctors and helpers trying to save the bird's life. Moments later, one of the massive twin doors slowly opens. About five students are standing there. Madam Pomfrey spots them and runs over.

"You shouldn't be here." "...Our friend is in that bed that has the dragon leaning over it. We'll stay here if we want to." "No, if Fudge wasn't here, I still would not let you in here. Leave. Or I will personally escort you to Albus." The dragon overhears this, and turns to face the students. "Your friend will live. I know that your are fearful, but your friend will survive. For she must. Fudge still lives, and as long as he does, this," he moves a wing towards the prone bird on the bed, "can and will happen. Leave. I will find you when it is done." "...I...have this fear that she will stay like that…" Dragonus lowers his head to the floor and looks up at the small group of students. "If she does, then she will. if her powers and her mind are gone, then we can only hope that she has enough saneness to slay Fudge." The students grow pale, look at each other, and then leave the Infirmary. At the same moment that the door closes, the bird's eyes open. And the bird remembers everything.

Seconds later, a screech is heard from the Infirmary. Then the sound of scrabbling claws on tile and then something crashes into the Infirmary doors and makes them open, sending students fleeing in panic. The panicking bird skids across the Entrance Hall and lands in a corner. A flash of green light appears and seconds later, a person walks out of the darkness.

I'm alive. I feel awful, I have no idea how I got here, but I'm alive. Madam Pomfrey runs out of the Infirmary and comes over to me. "Do you realize that even though you have awoken and are out here and have transformed back into your normal self that you are still my patient?" "...I am?" "Yes. After what you have been through…" Pomfrey goes on like this for several minutes and all I can do is stand in front of her, feeling a bit fearful of her wrath. "...When those students found you, you and the falcon were locked by your talons, he was dead, you were alive, but only just. And only now, a few minutes ago, you awoke earlier than we wanted you to, and, in your short lived panic attack, you ruined a perfectly good set of doors, and Magic knows what else! If this was under the normal circumstances, I would ban you from leaving the Infirmary, but you've already left it…" Pomfrey pauses for breath and begins to yell at me again, but is interrupted. "Poppy. I can take over from here." Pomfrey turns to the speaker and her eyes widen. "...Christopher...you dare…" A man steps out from the shadows, my friends surrounding him. "These students found me and informed me of the situation. Yes, I think that you have done enough." Pomfrey takes a step forwards in the direction of the man, and I think I should leave.

"Don't move. You're not going anywhere." ...What did I even do? I shoot a helpless glance towards my friends and they all shake their heads or shrug their shoulders. Meanwhile, Pomfrey and the other teacher are having a very animated conversation. "Calm down, Pomfrey, you're in over your head with this." "Oh...am I?" I can see the man clearly now- he's very tall, wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans. His accent is american, and I immediately know who it is. Ignoring Pomfrey, who continues to yell at me, I walk past her and up to the man, who is holding something. He gives the object to me and I remember another title that belongs to me. Dragon Rider. I look up at him. "Professor Crum." He nods. "Tom and I have worked up an agreement. It involves you, of course. Meet us in the Astronomy Tower in two hours." I look back down at the singed helmet in my hands. "I can do that." Still holding the helmet in my hands, I lift it over my head and lower it to rest against my head. Behind the metal head piece, I smile at the irony of all of this. I turn to a still fuming Matern. "You can heal me later. I need to find the rest of my armor right now." I then tilt my head back to get a sense of where the main stairs are, then run towards them.

Gryffindor Dormitory

Common Room

7-5-17

1:00 PM

As soon as I greet the Fat Lady and pass through the doorway, I'm surrounded by cats. My cat being one of them.

"...What...how did all of you get here?" A big flame colored tom comes up to me. "Your kittypet came to us. She said that you needed help, and then we were in here." I step over cat after cat, heading for the left side of the staircase.

"...Firestar….this is ridiculous. Can you please tell your Clan to get off everyone's beds?" "Why?" A cat yawns, merely glances at me, and goes back to sleep. ...Why do I have to do Everything myself… "Get...off..the...bed…" The cat lifts it's head again. "I thought you were nice. Perhaps not." Slightly annoyed, I take off my helmet and set it on a bedside table. "You two-get off the chest. Now." They both stare at me. Then one of them speaks. "...Ravenclaw? Why are you a two-leg? It's us, Cardinalpaw and Fernpaw. We're Cardinalscreech and Fernlight now. Sparrowpaw is Sparrowclaw, and Vinepaw is Vinepatch." Two other cats join Fernlight and Cardinalscreech. "...Can you four...at least...sorry, I'm just...can you get down from the chest? I need to get the rest of my armor…" The four cats jump off the chest and begin making other cats get out of the way.

A few minutes later, all that's left to put on is my helmet. As I reach for it, I look towards the large group of cats scattered around the Dormitory. Then darkness covers most of my vision and I reach for Dragon's Fire and the Hogwarts Shield, which I took off to put on my armor.

Seconds later, I cross the room again and walk down the stairs, most of the cats follow me. "You're leaving?" "At least let us help you." I stop and turn to Firestar. "How?" The flame colored cat grins up at me. "We have claws and teeth. That bird is gone, correct? We can distract the one who you are trying to get rid of. And then you can…" Firestar makes a biting motion and I nod. "Right. Follow me." I turn back towards the painting and notice several ghosts floating near it. "...Nick?" The oddly dressed floating man nods. "Greetings. We wish to help you. Between the felines and us ghosts, Fudge will be distracted. Make haste, find him, and rid the land of his evilness forever." Then the painting swings open. Someone is standing in the doorway, holding a bloodstained object. The cats begin to hiss and yowl and the ghosts scatter in all directions.

I'm pinned to the wall. The person is standing before me, looking relaxed. "So. It comes down to this. The only one who can stop me, pinned to the tapestry that has lied. I was supposed to die, but I'm still alive. What do you have to say for yourself?" While the man has been speaking, I have slowly been reaching for my sword. Now, I unsheathe the blade and cut myself down from the wall.

I have a split second to decide what to do next. Either I swing now or make a run for it. I have to make this count...I swing once.

Fudge looks down at the sword that is buried deep in him. Then he lifts his gaze to meets mine and laughs madly. "You fool! Do you realize what you have done? You may have killed my human self, but...I have another form...you are strong...but now...I shall unleash...my true...POWER!" I'm thrown backwards, my sword being flung out of my grasp to land nearby the fireplace.


	11. Chapter 9-Battle of The Dragons

Chapter 9

Battle of the Dragons

Gryffindor Dormitory (Common Room) (Ruins)

7-5-17

6:00 P.M.

"...NO!" "HAH! You fool! Feast your eyes on The White Dragon!" Firestar looks on in horror as a massive white beast rises from the now ruined carpet. His Clan runs up to him, some slinking over to a pile of fallen stones. A bloodied hand is clutching a shattered sword blade. All the cats can do is try to lift the stones off of the now prone form. "...How dare you…" Another twoleg is in front of the white beast, holding another sword and a shield. He points the blade at the Dragon. "You attacked the wrong person, Fudge. You may be a Dragon, but I can become one as well." As the twoleg speaks, his left arm begins to grow blue scales and claws. As the transformation continues, his speech is affected. "Ssssee? Ssssoon, I will be asss big assss you…" Transparent blue wings grow out of the small dragon's back and he shoots upwards, shedding his clothing as he does so.

Seconds later, a dark blue dragon stands before the white one, hissing at him. "If my friend that is buried beneath the stone is dead, then I shall rent my fury upon you." The dragon turns and pads over to the stone pile. Using his great sword as leverage, he begins to lift stones and throw them left and right.

Eventually, the person trapped beneath the stones is uncovered, and the dragons bends down and lifts her in his scaled arms. The dragon then turns back to Fudge. "She is still alive. Get out of my sight, before I slay you." Fudge smiles ominously, his fangs sparkling. "No, it is I who will slay you." He lifts his white head to the sky. "Death Eaters! Attack! Slay him and anyone who stands in my way! I shall kill all who are in the Great Hall." Cloaked forms surround the cats and the blue dragon, and the air is rent with unearthly shrieks and screams.

In the end, few cats are left alive. The dragon is no longer the massive beast that stood before Fudge, but the size of his human self, his wings are tattered, but they still cover his friend.

"Fudge never told us to stay here. Shall we go and help him destroy the Great Hall." The sound of something being dragged across the floor is heard. "...So this is the legendary Dragon's Fire? ...This thing won't ever be used again." The man laughs and throws the broken sword down next to it's owner. Then the Death Eaters leave, and everything is silent.

"...brought them to me? Why? I have no knowledge in the Healing Arts!" "Connor. You are the only one who can help them. Heal them. Teach my Rider the Olde Darke Magic. And do it quickly." "...As you wish, Dragonus."

The Darke Tower

Fox Lake (Ruins Side)

7-7-17

6:00 A.M.

I'm not human anymore. I'm a dragon still, but all I can do is keep myself from going mad. Connor is doing everything he can, but even he cannot help me. Currently, I'm perched on the railing, overlooking Fox Lake, my wings broken. "...At least you're awake." I turn. Connor is standing behind me, holding something wrapped in cloth. I climb down from the railing and move over to him. "What isss that?" The Darke Wizard smiles. "Your sword. Dragonus found it and gave it to me. Here. Take it-I have no desire to use it." I stand and take the cloth-covered bundle from Connor, then carry it over to a corner and remove the cloth.

"...What…." I lift the sword from the cloth and gaze at it. I can see a small, blue scaled lizard staring back at me. "What hasss happened to my sssword?" I stand and tilt my head back. "It issss Ruined! RRRAAAARRRSSSKKKRRAAAAA!"

The roars of a mourning dragon awaken me. The roars go on for some time until they end suddenly. Then from outside comes a small and weak voice. "...So it healed me…" Then I hear Connor's voice. "Yes. Your sword still has the power to overcome curses." "...Do you ever get lonely out here?" "Quite often. I wish to return to the castle, but I fear for my life, even out here, and you two must stay hidden, for as long as possible." At this point, I throw back the sheet that is covering me-I'm covered in blood-stained bandages and all I'm wearing is a thin, white shift. ...At least I'm wearing something...I get out of the cot and walk around the tilted floor, then over towards the open doorway.

"...Why do I smell smoke…" The Great Hall is on fire. Even from here, up on this balcony, I can hear people trying to put out the flames. Connor is right next to me and I reach up and grab his robes, forcing him down to my level. "Teach me how to wield Dark Magic. Now." All the Wizard can do is nod.

The Darke Tower (Connor's Study)

7-7-17

8:00 A.M.

"...About your sword, Dragonus recovered it, and reforged it using his own claws. Flameson was captured by Fudge, and only you and Forester stand in his way. You are a Dragon Rider. You can become a dragon." Connor lifts his gaze from the object on the table to me. "And I can become my other form. Only us three are left. I will teach you how to dwell in the Olde Dark Arts, and I will help you rid the Magic-World of Fudge forever." The man crosses the room and picks up a golden object, dented in places but blazing. "This is my golden trident. I have not used this in a long time, hundreds of years, but I believe that it is still as powerful." He comes back to the table and shifts his trident to his left hand. Connor then picks up the object on the table and offers it to me. "Take your sword. When you use it as a channel for Darke Magic, it becomes ten times as powerful." I take the blade from Connor and look at it for a few seconds, then reach behind me and sheathe it. "So. When do we start?" "Now, if you like."

Connor teaches me how to harness the Darke Magic and use it for good. The channeling thing works. Dragon's Fire is a very special sword, because it can go under extreme changes and not be affected in any way. After about two weeks of training, I walk into the training room to find that Connor is no longer human. "...I've lost my potion...but no matter, I can still fight. I couldn't use my trident properly, but now that I am a beast, it feels as if it was made for me." He begins to clop past me. "Come. We must leave this place and return to Hogwarts. Tonight, we must end this tonight."

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

7-22-17

The Great Hall

12:00 A.M.

The twin doors slam open. A man in a tattered black cloak steps in to the Great Hall, followed by at least twenty other men, all wearing black cloaks. They walk past the students, who are staring up at them with fear. They walk past the ghosts, who have been punished. They walk up to the Teacher's Table, where most of the seats are vacant. Then, the leader turns to face the room. "You need not fear me. Not anymore. My Death Eaters have joined me once more, for they have had enough of Cornelius's rule. I was known as the Darkest Wizard alive, but now Fudge has claimed that title. I have no wish to reclaim it. Now, we will take back our school, yes, even I was a student here once, and-" "Are you sure you wish to overthrow me, Tom?" Fudge is in the middle of the room, still a dragon. Blood covers his white form. "...What…" The dragon roars. "I rule all that you see! No one can defeat me! No one!" "I think you forgot that I killed that bird of yours."

Fudge turns around to face the speaker. "You!" he roars, "How are you still alive?" The figure in armor unsheathes their sword. The sound of the action echos to the supporting timbers. The person points the blade at the white dragon. The blade flares with a blue light. "Because I was asked to kill you. Look around you, Cornelius! Everyone here is terrified of you! And I don't need to look around the room to notice the empty seats and the blood on your scales. You murdered students. Some of them might have gone on to work in the Ministry, or as teachers. But no, you killed them. I came back to avenge their deaths and kill you, so you cannot main and slaughter innocents anymore. You know who I am, Fudge. I just hope that I can see your face reflected in my helmet when I kill you." Behind the figure, a blue furred beast holding a golden trident appears, along with a blue scaled dragon. Then a flame-headed man joins them, and becomes a red dragon. "You're surrounded. You're going to die anyway. Surrender." The white dragon bares his fangs. "Never!" The person nods. "I figured you were going to say that." The person turns from the white dragon and climbs onto the blue dragon's back. At the same time, the blue furred beast shifts into his human self and climbs on the back of the red dragon. Then all of them take to the skies, each holding their own weapons. All the students and teachers can do is watch as the death battle begins.

I have no idea what Dragonus and Connor are doing. I think they're trying to distract Fudge. It's working, whatever they're doing. Meanwhile, Link and I are circling Fudge, because while the others can hurt him, only my sword can end the white beast's life. "There. Do you see it? A missing scale. If you can stab him there, you just might be able to bring him down." I shift in the custom saddle and let go of one rein. "What are you doing?" "I have to do this in one go. Get closer." Link folds in his wings and dives. While he dives, I let go of the other rein, unsheathe Dragon's Fire, and I slash the leg ropes. Then, when Link is directly over the missing scale, I throw myself off of Link's back.

I land on Fudge's head, a few inches away from the missing scale. ...I landed harder than I wanted to...I push away the pain and force myself to move towards the missing scale.

I am somehow standing on Fudge scaled head. The missing scale is at my feet. I raise Dragon's Fire, and at the exact moment when Fudge brings his head around and shoots fire at me, I stab the beast.

The dragon screams, and begins to thrash around. Then it falls. Pieces of the ceiling fall and destroy some of the floor. Dust covers everything. The two dragons land and transform back into humans. Then the dust clears.

A person in blackened armor stands on the dragon's head, with a sword driven deep into it. Their head is down, and they seem to have trouble drawing breath. Then the person reaches out to the sword and pulls upwards.

Still not looking at anyone, I turn and wipe off Dragon's Fire on the beast's scales. I then leap off the beast to land in the middle of the room. People begin talking and I hold up a armored hand. They stop talking and I turn to face everyone.

Sheathing my sword, I reach up with both hands and take off my helmet. "...Well...I killed him….my question is, will I be honored for killing him or will I be…" I stop talking because someone in blue robes is standing in the doorway. The man raises their hands. "You will not be in Azkaban. If you wish, we will honor you. But I do not think you would like that kind of life. Would you not?" "If you mean being trailed by lots of students asking for me to sign something or having my privacy invaded then no, I wouldn't like it. I don't think anyone would." I turn my helmet around and clean some of it. A scarred, bloodied person appears in the reflection. "...If you want, you can keep my armor…"

A few minutes later, a pile of armor lays next to me. I'm still standing in front of Fudge corpse. "I think this belongs to you." I reach behind me and take off the Shield, then bend down and lay it at my feet. I also have the Texts with me and I walk over to a unharmed table and place the aged book on it. Ministry workers rush up to Fudge's corpse and begin to clean it up. Flitwick runs up to them and pleads with them to save a few scales for him.

"You did a good thing today. What are you going to do now?" A group of people from all four houses and teachers are sitting at a lone table. I'm one of them. All around me, people are talking about the condition of the school. "We have to rebuild almost everything. It can't be done in one school year." "It can. It can be done right now." I stand and walk away from the table, then lift my sword to the sky and summon the Olde Magic.

Bit by bit, the centuries-old stone begins to be rebuilt. Pieces fly and settle into place. People who were dead are resurrected. At last, the final stones are put into place, and every square inch of the castle is restored.

I lower my sword. I'm now standing in a clean room. No bloodstains anywhere, no broken tiles, or pillars. "...What did you just do…" I sheathe Dragon's Fire, and turn to face Dumbledore. "I used forgotten magic. It can do anything, if used correctly." I walk past the robed wizard and he trails after me, along with the rest of the students and teachers.

The Bridge; 7-22-17; 3:oo A.M.

At the end of the bridge is a red dragon. His Rider walks up to him and they stare at each other. Then the dragon lifts his head to gaze at the other humans. "Be grateful for this day. You have survived. You will go on to do great things, each and every one of you. I will return at dawn." His Rider climb onto his back and the dragon takes to the skies, circles the bridge, and roars as he flies off towards the massive forest to the east.

The Forbidden Forest; The Unmapped Clearing; 4:00 A.M.

"...No. Keep the sword. You have earned it." I'm standing before a group of ghosts. Two wielded the very sword I now hold in my right hand. Two are my relatives. "Do as Helena says. Dragon's Fire belongs to you, now." "You have been through much, but you have done far more than anyone could have done. I am proud to be your ancestor." "Go back to the castle. Rest. You do not need to fight any more. We will do that from now on. Go." The ghosts disappear and I'm alone in the clearing, a aged stone lying nearby me. I look down at the sword in my hand, then turn away from the pedestal. After sheathing Dragon's Fire, I head towards Dragonus, who is just beyond the clearing. He lowers his gigantic head to mine. "You still have the sword. We must return to the castle." I climb back onto the red dragon's back and we take off.

We land in the main courtyard, where all of the students and teachers are gathered. As I climb down from Dragonus's back, I think back to how all of this got started: when I found a circle of stones in the Forbidden Forest. ...I'm back. I don't need to fight anymore. Tom is not a threat anymore. Fudge is dead. I still have Dragon's Fire. Draco steps up to me. "...So...what do we do now?" The crowd shifts and Tom emerges. "We shall celebrate." The former Dark Lord smiles. "I was known for creating fireworks." "Fireworks?" "...Did someone say fireworks?" "...Excellent, we can have a duel of fire." "...We should get out of here, there's people from Middle-earth, Chima, wherever Eragon lives, and who knows where else everyone is from." The courtyard is full of people, and Draco, Link, Ben, Rambi, and I head off towards Hawk's Cliff.

Hawk's Cliff

5:00 A.M.

Even the crew of the Gangplank is celebrating. The whole ship is covered by smoke and cannons are going off rapidly. From the cliff, I can see lots of dragons flying through the air. I did a good thing today.

The sun rises from the east and covers everything in a golden glow. After wandering around the cliff for an hour or two, my friends and I head back to Hogwarts, where we are greeted by lots of people from many worlds. Then someone yells out for me to give a speech and pretty soon, other people are doing it. "SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!" Albus and Gandalf walk up to me and face the crowd. "Silence! All of you! If she wishes to speak, she will. Now, settle down and behave yourselves!"

The crowd slowly quiets down and a couple of people start to clean their weapons. After a few moments of silence, I begin to speak. "I like that all of you are here, but I have just one question. Where are all of you going to sleep, and how are we going to feed you?" "We'll make room. Back in the Great Wars, Hogwarts was known for its hospitality. It can be known again." it's Tom. "Now, about those fireworks…." I decide to leave the main area of the upcoming festival as soon as possible.

I'm back at Hawk's Cliff, watching countless birds fly around. Lots of cats are with me. "Thanks to you, the Clans can go on for moons." I turn to the flame-colored male. "What will you do now, Firestar?" He sits down next to me. "Somecat will become leader after me. I hope that his deputy will be as good as he was to me. But enough of that." Firestar climbs onto my lap and looks up at me. "What are you going to do now?" I look away from the cat and gaze out over the water. "I guess I'll stay here for a while. I might become a teacher, or a gamekeeper or something. Albus offered me to be an assistant helper to any teacher I want. As much as I like making potions and being down in the basement…" "Ah. You will be an assistant potion maker then?" "Yes." I stand and lower the cat to the ground. "Go on. You Clan needs you. Tell them I said hi." Firestar nods and sprints away from me.

I watch the orange cat go and then turn back to the water. I reach behind me and grip Dragon's Fire's hilt. I don't know if Snape will like me down there all the time. When I see him, I'll talk to him about it. Above me, birds of all kinds swoop and dive, calling to each other. Far below me, the King Squid surfaces, spraying water everywhere. He then dives again, and the lake ripples as he dives into the depths. Then, a red beast soars upwards in front of me. I stare upwards. "Dragonus!" The dragon lands behind me, still wearing a saddle and reins. "Still out here, I see. I take it you wish to ride me?" I walk towards him. "It's better than being down here all day."

The dragon takes off from the cliff, spreading his wings as he does so. As he flies higher, his Rider unsheathes her sword and holds it to the sky. The red beast opens his maw and breathes fire, lighting the torches that line the walkway to the firework display. Then he swoops upwards, far above the castle and it's grounds.

Once he lands, the dragon sets off the first of the many fireworks. The celebrants celebrate far into the night and the next day.

Thus ends the trials of one who was chosen to save Magic-Kind. But, the story does not end here. For, in another land, a great evil is rising, and a Knight will answer the call for justice in The Tale of Link: A Novel of Redwall.


End file.
